From an interview today with the Washington Post.
Really? Come on. We voted for you partly on the idea that you were the candidate who was going to "talk to us like adults." And for the most part, that is more true than most politicians in recent memory. But this statement, that "Every single criteria for reform I put forward is in this bill", is, um, wrong - if one followed your campaign.
Obama said the public option "has become a source of ideological contention between the left and right." But, he added, "I didn't campaign on the public option."
I suppose we'll hear some parsing of what exactly it meant to you to "campaign on the public option", but I beg to differ, Mr. President.
From the PDF Health Care Plan which was commonly available for download during your campaign
(2) NEW AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS. The Obama-Biden plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals purchase new affordable health care options if they are uninsured or want new health insurance. Through the Exchange, any American will have the opportunity to enroll in the new public plan or an approved private plan, and income-based sliding scale tax credits...
emphasis added
Ok, then, I'll give you that. You campaigned on a "new public plan", not a "public option". My bad!
Others got a similar impression -
Let’s take a look at the three main parts of the Obama health plan:
- "Quality, Affordable & Portable Health Coverage For All"
...
Obama’s key components here include:
* Establishing a new public program that would look a lot like Medicare for those under age-65 that would be available to those who do not have access to an employer plan or qualify for existing government programs like Medicaid or SCHIP. This would also be open to small employers who do not offer a private plan.
Hmmm, somehow other folks also got the idea that there would be a "new public program" available for people who weren't otherwise covered or who wanted a choice.
And here's a little something from the President's website (4th bullet point, center column) during the push to get HCR through Congress, just to show that he had been consistent in seeking a public plan through the campaign until mid-summer of this year or so.
I can understand wanting to put one's best face forward. But talk to me honestly as a citizen and as a supporter and a voter. The Public Option didn't make it into the plan. We all know that, and we all know there was a lot of contention and bitter feeling around this. But don't try to tell me it was never part of the proposal; it most certainly was. Part of what I appreciated about candidate Obama was his willingness to point out when other candidates, at various times, were so opaque and vague in their language that one couldn't tell what side of a given issue they were on. Candidate Obama employed this technique in debates against both fellow Democrats and against John McCain. It was effective, because it was true.
But I fear that, Mr. President, you are giving this same ammunition to others one day when you inevitably have to campaign again. They are going to point to this statement and say "that's not true." Either that, or you were promising to work on a Public Plan, and simply didn't mean it, and were thus able to truthfully claim that you never "campaigned" on it. It's one or the other, and neither is a good choice.
Now, please, I ask that this not be too much of a flame fest. I'm all for heated but honest debate. I am not interested in "he's EVIL!", nor am I interested in "he's perfect!" Life is complicated, this whole debate was complicated and full of nuance and contradiction. And if anyone can give examples of candidate Obama on the campaign trail talking down the public option or saying it was a low priority, I'm happy to see them and correct this diary. But as far as I can tell, what I'm saying is the reality. It was certainly part of the campaign. It's not in the bill. There are reasons for this that I would appreciate a real answer to, not a simple, easily dis-proven denial thereof.