Word is that the House is only "a few" votes shy of being able to pass a Medicare-based "robust" public option. And the deadline for the whip count is tonight.
[Speaker Pelosi] went on to say that the few remaining undecideds - or undeclareds - needed to let Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) know by Wednesday where they stand. [...]
The caucus will meet again Wednesday evening to retake the Democratic temperature. If the 218 votes are there, the party will plow forward and go to conference committee negotiations with a strong hand.
This is the best possible news from the House going into the conference committee. If only Harry Reid had Nancy Pelosi's -- errrrmm -- guts.
Adding... It's eight votes, according to Ryan Grim.