After all of the misinformation and lies we've seen about the public option from Joe Lieberman, it's good to see another Senator call him on it, however politely. Brian Beutler watched this exchange between the three Senators.
"I continue to support a robust public option," Specter said. "There are differences on that, and my two colleagues have expressed their own reservations."
"This bill may be so good, look so good, to Senator Lieberman that he may be willing to make some accommodations."
Lieberman and Collins both demurred.
"I do not support...a government owned, government run insurance company," Collins said.
"I have only to look at the experience of my own state in establishing a government run plan to see the problems that arise."
....
"I think we have learned a lot from the Maine plan," Specter retorted. "We know what not to do. We're not going to adopt a Maine plan. That experience will stand us in good stead. We won't make the same mistake."
Specter went on: "And when Senator Lieberman talks about single payer, I think he's putting his finger on the pulse of it. That's what people have concluded [but] the public option isn't single payer, and it is not going to add to the deficit, it's going to be a level playing field. So I would like everyone to read the fine print and [for my colleagues] to re-read the fine print."
Specter's strong support for the public option also shows the value of a good primary challenge. Lieberman is going to continue to just make stuff up about the public option (it's single payer, it's going to bankrupt the country, it's "unnatural" [and who knows what the hell that means] and dangerous) because he's Lieberman and lying is just what he does. But at least someone is telling him to read the bill.