Dodd makes it 37 Senators supporting a public option via reconciliation

[ProSense]

Chris Dodd: Public Option Supporter

Chris Dodd became the 37th senator to commit to supporting the public insurance option as part of health care reform if the overhaul is moved through the chamber using the majority-vote procedure known as reconciliation.

Dodd was asked at a recent event by a public option advocate if he'd vote for the option under reconciliation.

"Oh, sure. I've been for it. Yeah," Dodd told Aaron Swartz in a brief video interview. Swartz is a cofounder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), which has been waging an insurgent campaign to force the public option back into the debate.

The White House has said publicly that it doesn't believe the public option has enough "political support" in the Senate to become law, but Dodd's commitment leaves it just 13 votes shy.

Several senators are known public option supporters and have yet to commit. The fate of the public option rests with a handful who have not made their intentions public. Public option backers will be watching several of them this week, including Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

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[tallahasseedem]

1. Woo hoo!!!

Alright Dems...let's get it done!

[AlinPA]

2. 37 / 58 (but with 21 cowards) is not encouraging at this point. nt

[annabanana]

3. Glad to see it!

Surprised I didn't see it sooner.
Why was he so reticent? He's leaving and all.

[ellenfl]

4. any critter leaving office should sign on. eom

[mdmc]

6. wouldn't that hurt their lobbying prospects?

:shrug:

[ellenfl]

8. you're right. sorry, lost my head. eom

[denimgirly]

5. Cenk is right in that these Senators KNOW this wont come up for a vote

and so they are on this list to have political cover and be on record to claim they were for it but if it ever came to vote they would be against it.

I REALLY WISH the Public Option would come up for a vote and see who is lying...We have discovered that Dodd is no friend of the consumer and so having him on the list still confirms that he is confident the Public Option is dead. Let's hope i am wrong and the Public Option still has a sliver of hope!

[Drunken Irishman]

7. What political cover does Dodd get for stating his position? He isn't running for anything.

[cadmium]

9. Cenk is getting too whiny to take

seriously. First he'll whine at Senators who sign the letter then he'll whine about the ones that do.

[angelicwoman]

10. Is it your belief that the public option has the votes to pass?

Perhaps we can check who was right and who was wrong, later on, between you and Cenk. What do you think will happen? Will we gather the necessary votes to pass the P.O. by reconciliation?

[Drunken Irishman]

11. How does that prove anything?

No one knows if there are enough votes to pass. However, stating that everyone coming out publicly for this are doing it to save their own asses seems a bit ridiculous.

I think right now, no one knows if there is enough votes to include the public option. If I had to bet on it, I'd say there wasn't Doesn't mean, though, these politicians are only doing it to appease the left. Especially a guy like Dodd, who has nothing to gain/lose from how he votes. He's done regardless of the outcome. :eyes:

[cadmium]

15. Dont think this is that relevant to Cenks whining or cynicism

The public option (except as an expansion of Medicaid) has always been a long long shot.

[karynnj]

12. Dodd was one of he Senator closest to Kennedy on healthcare bills

No matter what problem he has on the banking committee, he is good here.

[w4rma]

13. Agreed. He sucks on the banking industry, but he's good on healthcare. (nt)

[Jennicut]

14. Well, he finally did something right. My Senator has some good moments left in him.

[vaberella]

16. He needs 15 to be safe---just in case some one gets sick. 13 is not enough. n/t

[high density]

17. Getting close to that 41 vote majority that we need. NM