The debate may, in the end, be moot. Aides on the Hill and strategists outside of Congress say that Reid sees an opening for getting a public option with a state-exempt clause past a Republican filibuster. The proposal is far more popular than the trigger within the Democratic caucus, these sources stressed. And it would be met with approval among the progressive community, which believes that triggers would result in a public option never coming into existence.

Certainly, if he was so inclined, the President could help Reid in this battle:

Going down this route, however, will still require the recruitment of at least one conservative Democratic hold-out and maybe two. The identity of the hold-out(s) is not known. Nor were names shared by sources. But it's not difficult to compile a list of suspects; namely the group of Democrats who have already expressed skepticism about a public plan.

Already, the lobbying campaign around the opt-out public option is intensifying. Overheard at the America's Health Insurance Plans state conference rally on Friday was a company official discussing the need to work with Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) on her position on a government-run plan. "I've put a call into her office," the official said. "We need to chat with her."

Landrieu would certainly buck Harry Reid. But would she buck President Obama? We'll likely never know since Obama won't call her on the carpet.

One thing seems clear to me - Harry Reid will put a public option bill up for a cloture vote. He has to. For his own political survival. What happens then is anybody's guess. But a roll call cloture vote on the issue will be called.

Speaking for me only