Curious about what to expect during Wednesday's big speech?
Well if this interesting find by Greg Sargent is any guide, don't expect anything good to come out about the public option:
White House Polling Memo Omits Numbers Showing Support For Public Option
Okay, so the White House is circulating an upbeat polling memo citing a bunch of public surveys showing that public opinion still tilts heavily in Obama’s favor on health care.
The memo, by Obama pollster Joel Benenson, doesn’t mention the public option (the White House may not be committed to it) and largely cites general numbers showing support for action and for Obama’s plan.
But here’s the funny thing: We went back and checked, and virtually every poll cited in this memo also found strong support for the inclusion of a public plan.
Greg cites polls showing the public option supported by margins ranging from 14 to 26 percent. If the White House were planning an aggressive push for the public option, wouldn't it make sense for them to include those numbers?
Assuming the White House does abandon the popular public option, it will be a political miscalculation of epic proportion.
The most recent Daily Kos poll released today shows the public option is supported by a 58-34 margin, including 57-33 among independents and 81-12 among Democrats.
Here's the key thing about about that 58-34 margin, though: with President Obama's favorability rating at 52-43, the public option is now more popular than the president.