Reply #76: Correcting a couple of errors.

[Radical Activist]

Obama did present a plan that included the public option, even if he didn't write the bill. This quote from his speech pushing the plan to Congress also addresses those who claim he never publicly supported or campaigned for it.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-a-Joint-Session-of-Congress-on-Health-Care/

"But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. Now, let me be clear. Let me be clear. It would only be an option for those who don't have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5 percent of Americans would sign up."

The fact that "most people realize" something because it's constantly passed around on blogs doesn't make it true. The only named source for the story is a pharmaceutical industry lobbyist who had every reason to lie. Even on Front Line. You can go to your grave believing every story from a special interest lobbyist but don't expect me to go along.

You wrote: "You can go to your grave believing that Obama desperately wanted a PO..."
The rest of the paragraph is a straw man. It was never my claim that the PO was his top priority. It clearly wasn't. That doesn't really bother me. I'm not following the lemmings who suddenly decided that the PO was the most important thing in the world because Howard Dean or some blog said so.