Joe Lieberman -- for what seems like the umpteenth time -- says he'll join Blanche Lincoln and filibuster health care reform if it includes a public option:
Transcript:
SEN. LIEBERMAN: Well, I voted last night, as 59 others did, to go ahead with the debate because I, I want us to begin not only debating healthcare reform, but doing something about healthcare reform. But I don't think anybody feels this bill, as Senator Reid put it down, though he made a lot of progress in blending bills together, I don't think anybody thinks that this bill will pass as it is.
MR. GREGORY: As written. It's got a public option; you said you would not vote for it as a matter of conscience, that you would even filibuster it if that stays in there. Still the case?
SEN. LIEBERMAN: That's right. Just to explain, once the bill is on the floor the, the only alternative--amendments will be offered, but essentially every amendment is subject to a filibuster and will take 60 votes to pass. My only resort, and, and every other senator--and there'll be others who feel exactly the way I do about the public option. If the public option is still in there, the only resort we have is to say no at the end to reporting the bill off the floor.
He's with us on everything except everything else, which explains why Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are back on the radar screen. Those who are working the Snowe/Collins angle should keep in mind the results of NY23 and the poll showing Snowe would be trounced in a GOP primary. Snowe would be crazy if she weren't considering pulling a Specter and coming over to the Democratic Party, but she'd be even crazier if she thinks she could do that after filibustering health care reform.