Can we please cut the crap about Barack Obama not campaigning on the Public Option? This kind of wishful spinning is an insult to the intelligence of a whole segment of those who followed the campaign and voted for the man.
Watch a few minutes of the video that I've linked to below the fold, and then tell me if you want to believe the apologists or your lying eyes...
Note: I apologize about the link rather than embedding the clip. I spent several minutes following instructions at the Kos FAQ trying to embed the thing, and finally surrendered. I'd be happy to try again if someone can illuminate me as to the correct procedure.
In any case, The video is from the Iowa Heartland Presidential Forum at the very beginning of his campaign, prior to the Iowa Caucus, December 1st 2007, candidate Obama spells out his vision on health care reform.
http://www.youtube.com/...
As you can see, following the moving remembrance of his mother struggling with insurance forms on her death bed that became a signature theme for Obama when talking about this issue, the candidate offers to the Iowa audience that, if designing a program from scratch, he would lean toward a single payer system.
Then, saying "...what we have to do right now" he outlines how he would establish immediate, effective reform. Watch from the 1:55 mark until he advocates setting up:
"... a government program that everybody can buy into and you can't be excluded because of a pre-existing condition."
A few moments later he assures the audience that the private insurance market won't be "completely eliminated", but people will be given "a choice so that if they feel they're being price gouged, they're going to be given a legitimate alternative..."
There are many other examples, such as the 2008 Washington Post candidates profile:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/...
This is the candidate that we voted and worked for and the Change that we believed in. Not the sham giveaway to private insurers that President Obama is set to sign-off on.
Those of you who want to apologize for the retreat from this position by arguing that The President's hands are tied by the legislative process, and Obama and/or Rahm simply didn't think it would be worth the fight to try to push for the PO in the Senate, fine. I have my doubts about that at this point, but at least it's debateable. But let's not kid ourselves. Barack Obama absolutely did campaign and solicit our votes by pushing for the Public Option.
We know because it was just two years ago and we were paying attention.