Rumors Of The Death Of Public Option May Have Been Exaggerated

Not only is Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin saying that the final health care bill the President will sign have the public option in it, he's saying Republicans will be on board for it as well.

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, a Democrat who recently filled the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Sunday that a Senate health-care reform bill would include a "strong" public option and that it would get through by the holiday recess.

He also said it will have support from "some" Republicans, although he said he isn't sure how many.

"I'm ready to carry on [Kennedy's] work, and I'm ready to get a health reform bill passed and to President Obama before Christmas comes this December," Harkin said in a fiery push for health reform during a speech at his annual Steak Fry, a fundraiser for Iowa Democrats.

"That bill — mark my word, I'm the chairman — is going to have a strong public option," he added to thunderous applause.

In a media availability held just prior to his speech, Harkin said he believed the legislation would be able to garner enough support from both sides of the aisle — potentially enough to label it bipartisan when all is said and done.

"We will have some Republicans on our bill," Harkin said.

Really. Glad to hear Sen. Harkin knows his Senate colleagues that well, because everything I've seen and heard is strongly pointing towards a neutered, worthless bill that will put an undue financial burden on millions of middle class Americans as they are forced to buy mandated insurance that their employers will no longer carry.

But that's just my opinion. Still, more power to Harkin.