Health Care Deadline In TWO WEEKS: Dems Want Bill Finished By March 18

The deadline for accomplishing health care reform, which for months has been a moving target, has moved yet again. This time to March 18, before President Obama leaves for an overseas trip to Indonesia and Australia.

Politico's Mike Allen reports that the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are pushing for the deadline.

"Hill aides tell us this is physically possible, although some doubt that it's psychically possible," Allen wrote. "The backstop is the Easter break, which would provide a week-and-a-half cushion. Then, the White House finally gets to make its big pivot to 2010 messaging."

More from MSNBC's First Read: "The new deadline to get this done -- have the House pass the Senate bill plus the fixes to that legislation, and then have the Senate pass the fixes via reconciliation -- is Easter (or even the day the president leaves for Indonesia on March 18). If Democrats can't get a vote in the House by then, we'll know if this last push is in trouble."