President Obama promised to work his heart out to finally get major health care reform in this country, including a public option. And he has. The man and his family have sacrificed everything to fight for us, and the staff at the White House has put in endless hours lobbying congress on our behalf.
But, as Nate Silver elucidates rather well, Barack Obama really never had much of a chance dealing with the senate that we elected. It doesn't help to put together a convincing case that something is best for the American people when you have conservative Democratic senators that will choose the lobbyist's position over it anyhow. It doesn't help to try to convince Republican senators that for political reasons will not support any agenda of a Democratic president.
It is us, the American people, that will be responsible for the failure of the public option if it should die. Not the man who has valiantly fought for it on our behalf. There is nobody who would be a better advocate for progressive policies than the very man who now resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and if anyone screwed up in this process it is not him. It is us. We are sorry, President Obama.