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Obama Makes Backstage Push for Public Option

Despite public retreat, president plying Senate moderates

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 5, 2009 11:03 AM CDT

(Newser) – Though Barack Obama has publicly backed off in his support for the public option, behind the scenes he’s campaigning hard to make it happen. He’s spent a lot of time in recent weeks calling moderate senators like Olympia Snowe, Ben Nelson, and Maria Cantwell, armed with polls showing how popular the public plan is, the Washington Post reports.

Congressional leaders have been active as well. “I have talked to every one of our conservative members,” Chuck Schumer said last week, “and they are open to some kind of public option.” Dick Durbin, meanwhile, held a closed-door meeting Tuesday in which he showed conservative Democrats poll data indicating that their states supported the plan. “To argue that this is some fringe position is to ignore the obvious,” he said.

In this March 5, 2009 file photo, Max Baucus asks President Barack Obama a question at the White House Forum on Health Reform.
In this March 5, 2009 file photo, Max Baucus asks President Barack Obama a question at the White House Forum on Health Reform.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, FILE)
President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a fundraiser for the Democratic Governors Association, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 in Washington.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a fundraiser for the Democratic Governors Association, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 14 comments
cornelison
Oct 6, 2009 5:21 AM CDT
Why trust a health insurance company to work with govt.? Why funnel money to them to insure Americans who cannot afford it. If you cannot afford it, why should a person who can pay in the first place! This is a windfall for the companies who took away the lives of sick & dying Americans?
cornelison
Oct 6, 2009 1:16 AM CDT
Former Se. Frist (R) was just on MSNBC. He gave a vague description on how health care reform can get done. He did not say exactly how he would do it. He said that the Democrats didn't invite "Republicans to the table." This is a lie. He said that the system needs competition among health care providers. He trusts the insurance companies!!
rajanKazhmin
Oct 5, 2009 8:40 AM CDT
Worded in plain English, not corporate double speak.

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