I'm sure you have all watched Jed's video recounting the Sunday commentary from Axelrod, Jarrett and Rahm by now. I found it fascinating. All three of Obama's advisors stated that Obama unwaveringly supports the Public Option, but is accepting of the reality that it may not have the requisite votes.
(Hint, hint, Harry!)
I didn't watch the entire segments from every show, but there were a lot of great statements in Jed's video.
They're down there...
Let's start with Axelrod, just cuz he's right there at the beginning of the alphabet and all.
Axelrod: The President has very consistently and clearly articulated his support for a public option.
...He supports that, but that doesn't mean that we halt the process. There are people in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats, who have objections to that. We have to work through these issues.
Here are some of Jarrett's comments:
Jarrett: He thinks that the public option is the right solution.
...He's a big believer of the public plan.
...He's pushed for it, certainly. But he's also realistic to say we've got to look at all options.
...He thinks it's the best possible choice.
I think it'd be pretty hard to speak more favorably of the public option, or to more clearly convey Obama's support for it.
And last but surely not least, our dear Rahmbo:
Rahm: He believes a public plan, or public option, is important to competition.
...There are key members of the Senate that want a public option. Senator Snowe, who's also important, would like to see a trigger. But what is implicit in the notion of a trigger is that you should always have available that option of having a public plan to bring the type of competition that brings downward pressure on prices and price -- effect of health care costs.
He speaks of triggers in general, not any specific trigger plan, and still talks up the public option in the middle of his comment about triggers. That's pretty strident support for the public option and rather indifferent support for triggers of any sort, let alone Snowe's. Has anyone actually read her trigger proposal, by the way? I couldn't get my hands on it when I called her office.
But the best part of the whole collection, if you ask me, was this money quote from Rahm:
CNN Live Nation guy: Is the trigger good enough for the President?
Rahm Emanuel: The President of the United States will obviously weigh in when it's important to weigh in on that.
Obama has crazymad timing skillz. We shouldn't forget that. And until we hear something else from people who actually matter, we should go forward with the belief that Obama wants the public option and that he has not given his opinion on triggers. And most importantly, he needs us to help him.
Call Senator Burris (yes - for reals!) and let him know how much you appreciate him taking a stand!
Call your own Senators and tell them they should stand with him. Burris is putting their complacent asses to shame!
Call Reid and tell him to whip the 58 Dem Senators + Lieberman into shape pronto (we know we can count on Bernie ♥ ). He should be recruiting votes to remove chairmanships as I type! And if he isn't going to lead, get the hell out of the way already before your voters resolve that issue for you.
[update] Here is Snowe's characteristically narcissistic statement:
The point is I don't support a public option and none of my republican colleagues do.
No, Queenie, the point is that 76% of the American people do support a public option. The point is that republican ideas and philosophy have been roundly rejected for many races in at least two election cycles now. Nobody gives a !@#$%& what you and your republican colleagues think, you self-absorbed git! Even your constituents want the public option.
Call her and tell her to get over herself already and get on the right side of history.
Toll Free Numbers for House and Senate:
1-866-338-1015
1-866-220-0044
1-866-311-3405
Peace, love and <your choice of vice here>!