Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) drew the ire of liberals and health care reform advocates this week by airing his objections to a public option. In an interview with the New Haven Independent, Lieberman said he’s working with an informal group of Senate centrists he meets with regularly to move health care reform efforts without a public option.
As frustrating as that is for reform advocates, though, they’re generally more concerned with public option foes and skeptics who serve on the committees with jurisdiction over health care legislation. On that score, progressive groups have launched ads against players such as Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)–who sits on the Senate Finance Committee–and Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)–who sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Committee–for trying to block the provision (Hagan seems to have dropped much of her opposition). Lieberman isn’t as poised as they are to weaken or kill the public option. At least for now.
As such, for the time being, reform advocates seem to be holding their fire. But that doesn’t mean Lieberman won’t ultimately become one of their targets.
