EXTREMELY bullish on the PO - Some good news from Sen. Rockefeller

[kpete]

Some good news from Sen. Rockefeller
by ai002h

Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 05:49:42 PM PDT

He was on the Ed Show earlier this evening and was EXTREMELY bullish on the PO being in the final Senate bill. When Ed claimed pessimism on the PO not passing because of the Finance committee not containing one, he said that was a ridiculous statement and that he spoke to the President this afternoon after the vote, that the President is for a public option, and that the President told him he will coming hard and join the debate when the merging of these bills happens.

What makes these statements more than just the usual rhetoric is the Senator who's making them. Rockefeller has been, on this issue, the only Senate democrat willing to be critical of the WH and not play ball with the "pass anything and call it healthcare reform" strategy, What's also important is he doesn't believe in having some watered down compromise and calling that a PO, he views the Schumer's "level playing field" compromise as the furthest you can go while still being able to call it a PO. So he isn't putting lipstick on a pig like, as an example, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer and Maria Cantwell tend to do, even though the latter two prefer a robust PO. So, imo, there's a good chance this means Obama told him he would fight for a PO going forward and wasn't equivocating. Now, even if that were true, it still remains to be seen just how hard the WH will fight for it, so this could still be Obama telling people what they want to hear.

The other piece of good news, which may be bigger, is that Senator Rockefeller told Ed he would be part of the conference committee representing the Senate when their bill is merged with the house bill. That is HUGE because it means that the PO will be pushed by the majority of democrats in the conference committee.

more (i heard this too - sounded very promising, kpete)
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/13/792980/-Some-good-news-from-Sen.-Rockefeller

[graywarrior]

1. I saw that and it sounds very encouraging

He sort of gave Ed and tiny little lecture on keeping the faith.

[Mimosa]

2. KPete, I'm feeling better now

Thank you for this informational post.*hug*

Did you ever used to post on Bartcop?

[kpete]

3. perhaps

in a different life?
peace, kp

[stevedeshazer]

4. This is great news.

Imagine. A Rockefeller pushing for a public option.

[PopSixSquish]

5. Give Them Hell Senator!

If this goes right then Senators Rockefeller and Kerry will be big-time heroes...

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Doh. Now what will we rend our garments about? n/t

[MarjorieG]

7. Rockefeller called Obama's an inside game. Harkin said the HELP like Blue Bog 3200 version, and

therefore got it right. Add Rockefeller saying Schumer version, not tied to Medicare, the lowest he'd go, let's see if we can get that, without an opt-out. Still think we can tinker with lowering Medicare to 55, maybe, once this passes to get immediate help to the public, but maybe not now.