More on Lieberman. According to a Lieberman aide, “his primary concern is that the public option is a government-funded entitlement that will deepen the nation’s debt and have an adverse effect on the economy.” He’s “opposed to an opt-in, or an opt-out, any form of this federal program.” He thinks “if there’s a problem in the insurance market, then we should regulate it.” As for the leadership, it’s known for some time “where’s he’s coming from on the public option.”
A couple other things. Again, on that first key filibuster vote, Lieberman is still with Reid. The majority leader seems to be taking this one step at a time. First get those 60 votes to bring it to the floor, and then worry about the other obstacles as they come. But it’s not clear what Reid will do once he’s on the floor and (presumably) can’t get the bill out of the Senate. He’s at 59 as of right now. Does he strip the public option then? Will he have demonstrated to the base enough of a commitment to the public option by that point to get away with abandoning it?