Point Man

Through all the legislative ins and outs on health care over recent weeks, one pattern keeps standing out to us. Each time the ‘public option’ looks like it’s getting marginalized on the leftward side of the policy equation, it’s Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), through a mix of his rep for ‘centrism’ and perceived political canniness, who pushes it back to the center of the debate as something that will be in the final bill, with some pointed public comment.