Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) insisted a few minutes ago on CNN that the public option is not — not — dead. Even though the Senate Finance Committee rejected a public health insurance option today, not once, but twice when amendments by both Rockefeller and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that called for a public option were voted down — 15-8 and 13-10, respectively.
That’s not the big story today though, Rockefeller said. “Actually, the big story coming out of today is that I got eight votes and Chuck got 10 votes — and in effect that’s like getting all the Democrats to vote for it.”
Well, “most of the Democrats,” Rockefeller corrected himself.
Rockefeller also said that he’s “a little bit” disappointed in President Obama for not pushing harder for the public option.
“The crunch is really beginning to count now,” Rockefeller said, adding a moment later that, “I think it’s important that he come in at this point, strongly.”
