PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- President Barack Obama, confronting protests out on the street and serious questions about his health plan inside a high school, slammed talk of euthanasia "death panels" and Medicare cuts, urging supporters to confront the opposition that has forced him onto his political heels.

At his first town-hall meeting since opponents began roiling such gatherings, the president was faced with respectful questions and real concerns head-on. Questioners worried that a government-sponsored option would overwhelm the...