Kucinich's announcement gives Obama a key vote, and he will likely need others to secure victory on his most sought-after policy initiative to date.

While Obama can't open any champagne bottles just yet, he should be feeling much better as he engages in a last-minute tour this week to rescue health care reform legislation from its death bed.

A liberal representing a Cleveland congressional district, Kucinich voted against the health care reform bill in November, because it did not contain a "public option" for government-regulated health care to compete with private plans.

Kucinich said he has doubts about the bill but decided to support it as "a civil right," after speaking with President Obama at the Ohio rally. The visit was designed to put pressure on Democrats in the House who may go against the proposal in a vote expected later this week.

With Republicans united against the package and some Democrats up for election in November worried about supporting the measure, which has polled poorly, the vote is expected to be decided by a few votes either way.

If each of the voting members of the House who supported the legislation in November vote the same same way this week, the measure will pass with the needed 216 votes. However, several Democrats who voted "yes" in November have voiced concerns over abortion-related language in the newest version of the proposal.

While polls have shown a majority of Americans are against the current proposal, the same polls show that Americans overwhelmingly believe something needs to be done about the current health care system.