This is the one I believe, because it comes from blogger insider Ezra Klein and because it rings true:

On Thursday night, Reid went over to the White House for a talk with the president. The conversation centered on Reid's desire to put Schumer's national opt-out plan into the base bill. White House officials were not necessarily pleased, and they made that known. Everyone agrees that they didn't embrace Reid's new strategy. Everyone agrees that the White House wants Snowe on the bill, feels the trigger offers a safer endgame, and isn't convinced by Reid's math. [. . .] One staffer briefed on the conversation says "the White House basically told us, 'We hope you guys know what you're doing.'"

(Emphasis supplied.)Obama wants "health care reform." He could not care less about a public option. If he gets "health care reform" with it, great. But if it gets in the way, then get rid of it is Obama's thinking.

Reid has different problems. Reid is in much less need of a health care reform bill passing than in being perceived as fighting for the public option. Reid is putting it in. Cuz he needs to politically. Unless Obama takes him off the hook.

Speaking for me only

Ezra Klein has a strange idea of what nightmares are:

Imagine Reid puts Schumer's national opt-out plan into the bill. The bill comes to the floor, and it loses Snowe and one or two centrist moderates. Byrd is sick and unable to vote. The Schumer plan needs to come out of the bill. But even though the bill can't get 60 votes to proceed, Reid's office also can't find 60 votes to strip the public option out of the bill. The liberals won't go for it. The left is organized against it. There's no reason 55 Democrats should bow to the wishes of five centrists and a Republicans on a popular provision. Indeed, maybe some mischievous Republicans even join the liberals in defeating the motion to strip Schumer's proposal. The bill is just stuck in limbo: It doesn't have the votes to move forward or backward.

(Emphasis supplied.) This is a nightmare why for Ezra? Not because the public option will be defeated, but because it WON'T BE DROPPED. For some of us, Ezra's dream scenario is the real nightmare:

While today has been an all day Obama love fest for the public option, more reporting is trickling out that this was not the case in last night's meeting with Congressional Dem leaders. Sam Stein reports:

The White House, Democratic sources say, is keen on ensuring there is bipartisan support for the final package -- which would explain its support for the trigger proposal. "He certainly didn't embrace it and he seemed to indicate a preference for continuing to work on a strategy that involved Senator Snowe and a trigger," said a senior Democratic source who was briefed on the meeting. A second aide whose boss was in the room confirmed the general nature of the exchange.

The good news seems to be Harry Reid does not care what Obama prefers cuz Reid prefers to be reelected next year:

This Greenberg poll of Hondurans is pretty funny to me:

Nearly four months after Honduran President Mel Zelaya was forced from office, he retains considerable public support, according to a new survey by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner. [. . .] Two-thirds approve of Zelaya’s performance as president. Nineteen percent rated his performance as “excellent” and another 48 percent as “good.”

(Emphasis supplied.) Zelaya has not been acting as President for the past 4 months and his performance ratings are high. Ironic. He clearly is a beneficiary of revulsion at the coup. Yet, Hondurans also want the scheduled November elections to go forward (Zelaya is opposed to them.) And get this finding - "The survey also found that [. . .] 83 percent have a negative impression of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez."

Zelaya is popular, but can not run. The election he opposes is popular. And one of his main international supporters, Hugo Chavez, is loathed. A positive endgame for Zelaya is not clear to me here. There will be an election and then it will be over.

In any event, this is an Open Thread.

Today is a day where the Obama White House been speaking up for the public option. Again, via Jed Lewison:

[BILL] BURTON: The President thinks that the public option is the best way to achieve choice and competition and bring down health care costs for the American people. And he will continue to ensure that it is achieved in the final health care reform legislation.

(Emphasis supplied.) Perhaps we have Mike Allen's anonymous White House source (Rahmbo! (cough!) Messina! (cough)!) to thank for this, but it is a very good thing.

Speaking for me only

The Bystander President method can only work for so long. Greg Sargent reports on a letter from progressive groups to the White House Chief of Staff:

Dear Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel:

We, the undersigned alliance for a robust public option, write to request that President Obama heed the will of the people and the organized progressive grassroots and take a strong leadership position in support of a robust public option. The public has spoken and the majority of members of Congress have spoken: Health care reform must include a robust public option…

The House has shown leadership by moving forward health care reform that includes a robust public option. We respectfully ask that the Office of the President take a stronger stand on a robust public option in order to enact true health care reform this year. We request a meeting with you at your earliest opportunity to further discuss this matter.

That's a call out.

Speaking for me only

Via Jed Lewison:

VALERIE JARRETT: I think the President has always said that he's committed to the public option. [. . .] He's committed to it, he's pushing for it, and he's absolutely committed to delivering on health care reform this year.

Good to hear. But Mike Allen did not make up his source. Someone in the White House (Rahmbo! (cough!) Messina! (cough!)) is fighting AGAINST the public option. The power struggle is playing out by anonymous quote.

Speaking for me only

Switzerland announced last night on its website that it has received formal extradition papers from the U.S., seeking the return of Director Roman Polanski.

The US extradition request is based on a warrant issued by the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles on 1 February 1978, on which date Polanski had failed to appear before the judge as was required by his bail conditions. During the US criminal investigation, Polanski had admitted to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He is wanted by the US authorities with a view to passing sentence for this offence.

There will be a hearing at which Polanski's lawyers can submit argument. [More...]

Politico:

[President] Obama told Democratic leadership at the White House Thursday evening that his preference is for the trigger championed by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) – a plan that would allow a public plan to kick in if private insurers don’t expand coverage fast enough, a top administration official told POLITICO. It’s also sign Obama is interested in maintaining a sense of bipartisanship around the health reform plan.

At that meeting, Obama did not sign on to a plan being floated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include a different variation of the public option in the Senate bill – a plan that would create a national public plan but allow states to “opt-out.” Reid now believes he can get 60 votes to bring a bill with that plan to the floor by breaking an expected GOP filibuster – and then secure the 51 votes needed to pass it.

(Emphasis supplied.) What now, 11 Dimensional Chess players?

Speaking for me only

HBO is airing Schmatta: Rags to Riches, a history of New York's garment district.

For thousands of immigrants the garment industry was a path to their American Dream, but today most of those jobs are gone. A microcosm of the economic and social forces transforming our nation over the past one hundred years, Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags tells the story of this vanishing industry through the voices of the people who have experienced its highs and lows.

I'm also watching Grey's Anatomy.

Here's an open thread for the evening, all topics welcome.

A head-scratcher of an opinion (text here, pdf) from the MN Supreme Court today: Bong Water is an illegal drug.

Sarah Ruth Peck had 2.5 tablespoons of bong water in her bong. The water contained traces of Meth. The state charged her with a Class 1 drug offense, carrying a presumptive penalty of 86 months in prison, because the water weighed 37 grams, over the 25 gram threshold.

The trial court threw it out. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court. In a split decision today, the MN Supreme Court reversed and concluded the bong water is a mixture containing a controlled substance and reinstated the charge.

From the dissenting judge's opinion (which was joined by two other judges): [More...]

I'm busy at work. Here's an open thread for you since our last one is full. All topics welcome.