TPMDC
Will Obama Roll Out New Health Care Strategy with Labor Officials Who Insist on Public Option
Brian Beutler | September 2, 2009, 3:10PM
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As Josh notes here, President Obama will reportedly roll out his new health care reform strategy at the AFL-CIO's annual Labor Day picnic.
At that event will Richard Trumka, who's expected to be named AFL-CIO's new president and who's really gone out on a limb, insisting that AFL-CIO will not support congressional candidates who work against the public option and will oppose a health care bill that does not include one.
Today, Trumka says he's received no assurances from the White House that Obama will stand with him.
And, indeed, it seems very much like Obama will not be going all in for a public option. We'll see what happens...but that could be a teeny bit awkward.
Late update: An AFL-CIO source tells me that they've received no word from the White House one way or another on whether Obama will address health care reform or not. So it seems at least possible that he'll eschew all talk of health care until he address a joint session of Congress on the issue on September 9.
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annieratna
September 2, 2009 3:19 PM
yeah really, meeting with organized labor on this? hmmm maybe obama will surprise us. it's all in the details. the repubs used "govt control program" to mess up this fight for us all. but they can't say that with the co-op option. all they care about is protecting hmo's and staying defecit neutral. if we can stay deficit neutral with this plan but still give people an option and choice, then that will cut into hmo profits. it's all in the details. if organized labor will stand with obama them heck, we all should.
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CT Voter
September 2, 2009 3:20 PM
TPMDC is certainly working to push the "Golly Gee! This meeting is going to be awkward!" meme today.
Seems a bit premature, given that the president hasn't even, you know, laid out his plans yet.
And golly: you think the White House is aware of where organized labor stands on this issue? Going out on a limb here, I know, but I'm going to say: YES.
So why would Obama deliberately go to Cincinatti and unveil something that will piss off labor? Call him a lot of things, but rude and ungracious he isn't.
But creating a buzz about something that may or may not happen predictably brings on the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments that goes on around here.
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johnmccsf
September 2, 2009 3:26 PM in reply to CT Voter
They've been in their own rabbit hole for 2-3 months.
I look on the bright side. I read the Baggers and am reminded that there are rabbit holes and there are rabbit holes
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johnmccsf
September 2, 2009 3:26 PM in reply to johnmccsf
Some days Beutler has me missing Elana Shor
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CT Voter
September 2, 2009 4:22 PM in reply to johnmccsf
Well, you're made of stronger stuff than I. I stopped reading even Politico's commenters awhile ago. I felt like I needed to shower after reading them. Or that I had morphed into some middle-aged version of Alice and I was trapped inside the looking glass.
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Steve LaBonne
September 2, 2009 3:29 PM in reply to CT Voter
Well, I certainly HOPE he wouldn't be so ungracious (and politically tone-deaf) as to use this as an opportunity for a Sister Souljah moment, but I have to point out that if he were so minded it would indeed be the perfect opportunity. Not for a moment predicting he'll do that, just saying the possibility is obvious. We know there are advocates for hippie-punching in the Administration who will be urging him to do just that. Let's just cross our fingers that he doesn't listen to them.
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FreeRider
September 2, 2009 3:38 PM in reply to CT Voter
Not to mention that Trumka is on one of Obama's advisory panels.
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toxophilite
September 2, 2009 3:28 PM
Some vacation Obama is having - how many times has he taken a break from the sun and sand now? Contrast this with our last president whose vacation days outnumbered his work days.
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johnmccsf
September 2, 2009 3:40 PM
GOD BLESS YOU FC
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CT Voter
September 2, 2009 4:20 PM in reply to johnmccsf
Amen to FC.
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johnmccsf
September 2, 2009 3:49 PM
Steve Benen with a reality check
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eliyah
September 2, 2009 9:01 PM
Maybe this will get me what I've been waiting for--a clear, straight-forward, 'this is how it is' speech. Seems to me that the group the Prez announces to is usually the one he needs to convince of the news.
I'm all for the public option, but frankly will go for anything that would cover everyone, allow me to leave my boring annoying job, and protect me from the insurance companies, but won't be a windfall for the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. What the Prez hasn't explained is how all that will happen without a public option. He's been spending way too much time telling us what the plan isn't, instead of explaining what it is.
I've got a congregational meeting to attend next Wednesday night, so I hope Monday's speech will reassure me.
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