"This is It", chronicling Michael Jackson from April to June, 2009 as he rehearsed for his upcoming London concerts, opens Wednesday in theatres for a two week run. Elizabeth Taylor, who has seen it, says it is "the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking" she has ever seen. More clips below:

mcjoan has the headline to sell - Reid, Obama, Baucus Deliver. All 3 do the right thing today. Reid delivers a federalist public option in the principal bill. WH Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said:

The President congratulates Senator Reid and Chairmen Baucus and Dodd for their hard work on health insurance reform. [The President is] pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out. As he said to Congress and the nation in September, he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition."

Max Baucus said:

I included a public option in the health reform blueprint I released nearly one year ago, and continue to support any provision, including a public option, that will ensure choice and competition and get the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate. Success should be our threshold and I am going to fight hard for the 60 votes we need to meet that goal this year.

All the right moves and all the right noises. Still a fight ahead, but good on the Dems today.

Speaking for me only

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has intervened and canceled the 60 lashes for female journalist Rozanna al-Yami.

She had worked for a network that produced a show called "Red Lines, examining taboos in the Arab world, including extra-marital sex in Saudi Arabia." She wasn't directly involved with the show itself.

The Saudi man who was on the show discussing his adventures was sentenced to 5 years and 1,000 lashes. Three of his friends who appeared with him on the show got two year sentences, and lashes. The cameraman was jailed for two months, but no lashes. LBC, the Lebanon-based Arabic channel which broadcast the show has been shut down.

So sayeth Greg Sargent:

Senator Harry Reid, who’s huddling with senior aides as we speak, has decided to hold a presser today at 3:15 in the Capitol to announce his decision on what to include in the final health care bill, a senior Senate aide confirms. According to multiple, anonymously sourced reports [. . .] Reid is poised to include a public option with an opt out in the bill.

This should be a great moment for Reid and for supporters of a public option. A few things to watch for: will Reid give himself wiggle room? Will Reid argue the merits of the opt out as giving states the chance to opt out if the program does not work for them? (I strongly believe he should.) What will the White House say in reaction to the expected announcement? Will Dan Pheiffer's words be repeated by Robert Gibbs at the podium after Reid's announcement? Should be interesting to say the least.

Speaking for me only

President Obama will be holding a war strategy meeting with top advisors today on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

One of the three helicopters that went down in Afghanistan killing 14 Americans included 3 DEA personnel. The helicopter was returning from a drug raid against a Taliban-controlled area tied to narcotics production.

Al Qaida, according to many experts cited in this Guardian oped today, is not in Afghanistan. There are strained relations between the two groups. Al Qaida, they say, is in Pakistan.

So we are fighting a drug war in Afghanistan. The Taliban does not have a goal of attacking the U.S. in the U.S. We need fewer, not more, troops in Afghanistan. And we should not risk more U.S. lives in the war on drugs abroad.

Looks like it is just about official - Reid putting in opt out public option:

According to news reports, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is sending the Senate's health care bill to the Congressional Budget Office today, and may unveil the bill publicly as early as tomorrow. [. . .] The bill reportedly includes a public option, but states may opt out of the program.

Some bad things in the tradeoff -- no employer mandate, just the ineffective free rider provision (also a Baucus/Snowe idea.) I think it is worth that trade - having the public option in this bill is, imo, the most important and critical part of this reform package (in terms of assistance, it is not - the Medicaid expansion provisions are). There are many many other terrible things in the Baucus bill (a few good ones not related to reform) like the excise tax. But the public option looks like it is in. That is reform that will work. Exchanges and all the other gizmos the Beltway Wonks love will not. The camel's nose under the tent that is the public option is THE essential element of the reform in this bill. Some of the rest is good of course, but not reform that will work.

Speaking for me only

Not really, but let's pretend he does as Booman argues. I think it would be most helpful to the public option cause if the story played that way. Here is what White House flack Dan Pfeiffer wrote, basically a repeat of his statement to Ambinder on Friday:

President Obama [. . .] supports the public option [. . .] That continues to be the President's position. [. . .] President Obama completely supports [the Senate leadership's] efforts and has full confidence they will succeed and continue the unprecedented progress that is being made in both the House and Senate.

Certainly this makes it tougher for Obama to publically support triggers. That's a good thing. His earlier dithering has done plenty of damage to the public option cause, not just in the Senate, as Jon Cohn reports, but in the House, as Roll Call reports. Hopefully this will stop the bleeding. At least until Obama and his team try to gut the public option again.

Speaking for me only

Yankees Win!

World Series starts Wednesday. Go Yankees!

Open Thread.

Here's Bon Jovi's new single, We Weren't Born to Follow, from their upcoming album, The Circle, which they will perform Nov. 9th at an event in Germany commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

After watching their new movie last night on Showtime, and seeing how tired they were at the end, I'm surprised that this week they announced they will be starting a 2 year world tour Feb. 19 in Seattle. They will be the first to perform at the New Meadowlands Stadium in May. In all, 135 shows in 30 countries. They are moving to London for the summer of 2010.

It's on to Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters for me. Here's an open thread for you, all topics welcome.

Newt Gingrich on C-Span this morning said he and his wife Callista may run for President in 2012:

C-SPAN: "If you were to run, what factors would you take into account? What would lead you to think about running?"

GINGRICH: "Callista and I are going to think about this in February 2011. And we are going to reach out to all of our friends around the country. And we'll decide, if there's a requirement as citizens that we run, I suspect we probably will. And if there's not a requirement, if other people have filled the vacuum, I suspect we won't." (my emphasis)

Blast from the past: Is Newt Gingrich About to Gamble on His History?

Russ Feingold's appearance this morning on Face The Nation raises an interesting question for President Obama, who appears to be arguing for Snowe's trigger. Feingold signalled his opposition to the trigger and said it would be enough of a basis for voting No on a health care reform bill:

Obama is reported to have said to Harry Reid that he hopes Reid knows what he is doing. Forget the bad policy, on the politics and the vote counting, does Obama know what he is doing? Pelosi will have a very difficult task to pass triggers in the House and Senators Feingold, Burris and Rockefeller look like No votes on the trigger. 30 Senators are strongly for a robust public option. How many of these will vote No on a trigger? Are there 50 votes for a trigger in the Senate? Does Obama know what he is doing?

Speaking for me only

Islamist militants in Somalia are forcing people, including children, to watch executions:

People in Merca said al-Shabaab militia patrolled the town with loudspeakers, demanding they attend the executions.

The militants also ordered schools to close for the day as they were keen for children to watch the two men being shot dead by a firing squad. Most of those at the execution, on a patch of open ground, are reported to have been women and children.

The militants apparently hope it will lead the kids to engaging in violent behavior. [More...]