Snowe is full of just like the rest of the Republican obstructers and reactionaries. If Nelson, that creepy old sell out of a Democrat, says it's a game changer, then it's clear the dynamics have shifted and the Democrats need to plow ahead with all the speed and force that they can. No more delays. no more allowing the Republicans and Baucus to stall things even further.

If Snowe is unwilling to join us then we look to clear procedural hurdles. This is insane. They needed 50 votes to pass the Bush tax cuts (and because of Democratic weaknesses, they exceeded that). Those tax cuts are driving the deficit. And, meanwhile there are still 50,000,000 people without insurance and we need 60 votes to help those 50,000,000? No way.

I see 50 senators passing the public option and I see it passing the House with about 10 votes to spare.

There are 50, but Obama has -- absolutely has to -- take out Emanuel or whoever is feeding the leaks that the progressives are the problem. If he wants a public option, he can get a public option. But, his shop has to aggressively court people just as he encouraged people last night.

The worst of all worlds, though is this:
individual mandate with subsidies up to 200% of poverty or something like that. Forget it. If we have an individual mandate, we have to have meaningful subsidies (as in: 400% of poverty level) and a public option. Anything less will be treated as a massive tax increase on working people.

”At times, I found his tone to be overly combative and believe he behaved in a manner beneath the dignity of the office. " -- Lindsey Graham

Jeez. "Combative?" Have you watched any of those town hall meeting Mr. Graham? The President was civil compared to the Tea Baggers (then again a wolverine is civil compared to the Tea Baggers.) If you want him to stop being "combative", then stop the bickering and fighting and lying on your side of the aisle.

And "dignity of the office?"-- tell that to Rep. Joe Wilson.

It takes two to play "partisan."

I applaud the president for laying out specifics last night, however, nothing new was really established. Yes. He took on the critics in the media and republican party--that's always a good thing, but he left most of the reform in the hands of the insurance companies and he offered once again, faint support for the public option. That said, i'm glad he didn't throw the public option under the bus.

Depending on how the "safety net" is designed, couldn't it look a lot like a first draft of a public option?

Also note Obama spoke of "a coop," not of "coops" as an alternative. Yet what's the difference between a single, national coop and the public option, if that's defined as self-sustaining and not dependent on public funds? If it's a single, national coop rather than a different coop for each state, is the difference more than semantic? Letting those receiving the public option have a role in governing it - isn't that all the "coop" aspect would mean?

So call the first iteration the "McCain-Snowe Safety Net," and the second the "US Health Cooperative," and let them brag that there's no longer a "public option" in the bill. Sounds fine to me.

I first heard it from Rumpole of the Baily, (Leo McKern) but I think it goes back much further than that. Either way, Olympia makes a point - thanks to blue dogs a public option may not pass the Senate. Makes a big case for campaign finance reform in my book. Corporations, and especially insurance companies and pharma companies, can't die from cancer.

I'd love to have Ms. Snowe tell us what would replace PO for cost effectiveness. I think she opposes PO for the same reasons the foolish Mr, Wilson shouted "It's a lie!" during the speech. She has an intractable mind once she's collected all of her eggs are in one basket. She may not be a flaming jerk like Joe, but just as rigid. They "negotiate" with similar flexibility.

I live in Maine & getting Snowe to sign off any real HCR bill is not going to happen.

ME residents support a public option (according to Nate Silver) and I know her office has been inundated with calls/emails asking her to support a public option.

She will not budge.

In order to get her vote, any cost containment measure will have to be severely compromised.

She says, "...any bill with a public option will not pass the Senate..."

She means, "I will not vote for the public option, and you cannot get it done without my vote."

This is not something eshe is powerless to do something about.

Memo to Sen. Snowe" The pitch black hair looks stupid. You are an old lady, show a little gray.