Gibbs: Public option still on table on health care

[BlueJessamine]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Chief White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says President Barack Obama will again cite a need for a public option on health insurance when he gives a prime-time speech to the nation.

Gibbs said in an interview on CBS's "The Early Show" Wednesday that Obama wants to "speak clearly and directly to the American people about what's in this bill for them."

Asked if Obama was willing to abandon a government-run plan to get a bill through Congress, the spokesman replied, "No, the president tonight will talk about the public option and will talk about the need for competition" with the private insurance market.

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[polichick]

1. Gibbs was on Morning Joe saying the same thing - making the rounds. nt

[AndyA]

2. Most seem to accept the fact that a public health option is the only thing that will

reign in costs. Without it, trigger or no trigger, there is not enough competition to lower costs. The CEO at United Health Care can count on another $750 million, and the wife can redecorate one of their vacation homes, finally!

[Soylent Brice]

3. K&R

[Triana]

4. Yea it's "still on the table" --- but Democrats are saying it's "not required"

And that's what Gibbs is NOT saying. The insurance companies have given them lots of money to buy influence and they caved.

That's where it is - the unvarnished, un-lipsticked version.

[Doctor_J]

5. "On the table"

:wtf:

Doesn't sound very committed to it.

[Hugin]

13. Yeah... It sounds like they're disappointed it's still there...

Like, "Despite our best efforts... The Public Option is still on the table."

[BlueJessamine]

6. Analysis: Public Option Is Likely Popular in Most Blue Dog Districts

Nate Silver:

Yesterday, Arkansas' Mike Ross, an influential Blue Dog Democrat, stated that he was opposed to a public option in the Democrats' health care reform package. "An overwhelming number of you oppose a government-run health insurance option, and it is your feedback that has led me to oppose the public option as well," Ross asserted in a letter to his constituents.

Ross may well have gotten a significant number of letters and e-mails against the public option. He may have hosted a town hall forum before an audience who was skeptical of such a provision. But if Ross had actually polled his district, it's unlikely he would have found overwhelming opposition to the public option. Instead, he might even have found a that a plurality or majority of his constituents supported the public plan.

Ross's district itself, the Arkansas 4th, has not been polled publicly. But some others like it have been -- and have usually revealed decent levels of support for the public option. In particular, Research 2000, via Daily Kos, has now surveyed the public option in Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and the Tennessee 5th Congressional District occupied by fellow Blue Dog Jim Cooper. Research 2000 also conducted a nationwide poll on the public option. These six polls reveal a strong relationship between support for the public option and support for Barack Obama last November:


http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

[Dawgs]

7. Talking about the need for it is not demanding it.

I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds like Obama's speech will be just like his townhalls; no plan, no details, no leadership.

[OwnedByFerrets]

8. He was also on NPR this morning making it clear that

it was NOT a necessity.

[Triana]

9. Yep. That's what I heard..."still on the table" but "NOT required"

THEY.

CAVED.


There it is. It's DONE as far as I'm concerned and essentially what we (DO NOT) have is NO health care reform.


AGAIN. And THIS time there is NO excuse. A lot of reasons, but NO excuse!

[OwnedByFerrets]

11. You are correct. The corporate masters have won again...

this will be no better than Medicare Part D. And ANYONE who thinks Part D is a good deal is an idiot.

[fascisthunter]

10. Public Option is the "Table"

[Triana]

12. "on the table" to be chopped, sliced and diced until there's nothing left to it - yep.

Pfft! :grr:

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

14. We know how Washington works

if the public option is put off with a promise of adding it at a later date to get a Bill passed, it will Never Happen.