Senator Harkin insists the votes were there for Single Payor or a Public Option in 2009. This diary reviews his comments, but makes no attempt to evaluate their integrity.
Unsurprisingly, those who cannot forget 2008-2009 (even though it's almost 2015) are crowing 'SEEE WE TOLD YOU!!!'
Let's examine the honest case, however; I believe based on the below that Harkin is wrong.
Senators Reject Pair of Public Option Proposals
The votes, in the Senate Finance Committee, underscored divisions among Democrats and were a setback for President Obama, who has endorsed the public plan as a way to “keep insurance companies honest.”
The first proposal, by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia, was rejected 15 to 8, as five Democrats joined all Republicans on the panel in voting no. The second proposal, by Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, was defeated 13 to 10, with three Democrats voting no.
The votes vindicated the middle-of-the-road approach taken by the committee chairman, Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana. Mr. Baucus voted against both proposals, which were offered as amendments to his bill to expand coverage and rein in health costs.
“There’s a lot to like about a public option,” Mr. Baucus said, but he asserted that the idea could not get the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster on the Senate floor.
::emphasis mine::
Then there's Lieberman:
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was formerly a Democrat but who is now an independent, announced today that "if the bill remains what it is now, I will not be able to support a cloture motion before final passage." In other words, Lieberman will support a filibuster. "I can't see a way in which I could vote for cloture on any bill that contained a creation of a government-operated-run insurance company," Lieberman said.
::emphasis mine::
And then a threat to join thefilibuster.
Hell, even Jane Hamsher could only count 51 Senators. While there's an argument that the PO could've been passed via reconciliation that only required 50 Senators, some supporters of the PO were whipping against it when the time came, per Roll Call and Glenn Greenwald.
I'm not going to link to the whole internet, but there's a lot more information on this as well. So I say, to both Senator Harkin and those rushing to believe him:
What do you have to support your claim that 'the votes were there' and that 'a PO or single-payor could've passed', again?