Lieberman: Obama Never Pressed Me On Public Option

[spiritual_gunfighter]

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) insists that the White House did not pressure him to get in line behind either a public health insurance option or a Medicare buy-in compromise during the health care debate this year.

"Well, no. I think I got pressure from the president to be for health care reform," Lieberman said when asked by HuffPost about any pressure from the administration to support either the public option or the Medicare buy-in. "I'd have to think about this, but I didn't really have direct input from the White House on this."

He added that Nancy-Ann DeParle, a top administration health care aide, downplayed the public option's significance early in the debate.

"Early on, Nancy-Ann DeParle came in, I told her my argument, I said, 'Nancy, I don't remember this ever being in the presidential campaign debates -- or discussions. I don't mean just the debates. And she said, 'You know, it's interesting. We went back and checked and there's one mention in the bottom of a paragraph of an Obama presidential policy statement on health care where it's mentioned as an option.' But most of the negotiation I had on that was with Senator Reid."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/21/lieberman-obama-never-pre_n_399355.html

[kenny blankenship]

1. Thanks for confirming the obvious, Joe.

Obama never wanted the Public Option, not any more than you did.

[DJ13]

2. Mr. President Joe Lieberman is here to talk about a public option

"Tell him Im not available!"
:hide:

[Enrique]

3. Obama has been secretly in favor of the public option

if he pressured Joe, that would have given away the secret. I think he will add the public option in his signing statement. I think we should withhold judgement until then.

[atreides1]

4. Signing Statement?

You forgot the sarcasm icon!!!

[inna]

5. ridiculous.

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad.

[yurbud]

6. that would be the best deal but a thousand to one chance

he would be stabbing his entire cabinet in the back if he did so.

[no limit]

7. Jesus fucking christ

please tell me you were being sarcastic.

[IndianaGreen]

9. yep, Obama is also secretly in favor of peace and repealing DADT, and DOMA

This is why he is bombing several countries as we post here, in order to not give away the secret that he is a peace maker.

[O is 44]

10. Please go listen to....

Rachel Ryan's (I think that is her name) interview with President Obama today posted on Huffington post. You may just change your mind. He thinks the public option is ideological. Maybe the crazy town hall attendees served their purpose in August with their shrieks of government run healthcare the irony however being lost on them since most appeared to be of Medicare age. He said it would have just covered a very small amount of individuals anyway. That is not how he sold it during the campaign. I have no idea why he fights so hard not to be ideological or partisan when it is for a good cause. He seems to think that the exchanges will keep prices down. Too bad Rachel did not press him on explaining just how this would be possible.

To say I am not disappointed would be a lie.

[flying rabbit]

8. I like how he blames his obstructionism

on the prez. Spin cycle on.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

11. It is now quite apparant that Obama never thought the PO was important

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x416005#416021

[Mithreal]

12. kick