WASHINGTON (AP) — A top adviser to President Barack Obama says people will embrace the health care overhaul once they "get familiar with what is is and what it isn't.

David Axelrod on Tuesday called the medical system remake "a reality," and said it is no longer a theory. But he conceded in an interview that Obama and other administration officials have to explain its benefits.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele accused Axelrod of offering the public a lollipop before rendering a needle. He called for the ouster of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and noted a "Fire Nancy Pelosi" appeal that the party has launched on its Web site.

Axelrod and Steele appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," CBS's "The Early Show," and NBC's "Today" show.