Here's yet another reason why I believe the public option is going to be an extremely tough fight. The AP:
Obama's political team at the White House has seen such a compromise as an option, although publicly the administration remains in support of a government competitor to private insurance. But during appearances on Sunday news programs, the support seemed to waver.
BUT... The story is from the AP and they've been splashing in a pool of awful for a while now. So consider the source. To wit, here's Secretary Sebelius on This Week:
Well, I think -- I think the discussions, right now, are serious ideas around the table from all sides. He has laid out pretty clearly and, I think, reinforced his support for a public option, to a letter to Finance Committee members. He talked about it in a radio address. He’s, you know, continuing to do that.
I don’t think it’s a surprise that the president supports a public option. He thinks choice is good, thinks competition is good.
Despite what the AP reported, this isn't necessarily wavering (Adding... She was even stronger on CNN with John King). Then again, perception is everything and there's already a totally fabricated conventional wisdom being formed in Washington that the public option is "controversial" and only enjoys support from the "left." Absolutely wrong and, again, it's the product of officials who have obviously been bought off. The public option enjoys broad bipartisan support among voters.
Nevertheless, it can't hurt to start making some calls now. This Kos diary lists the appropriate numbers.