The Reason for the ObamaCare Flip Flop?: The Daily Show Wants the Public Plan

Now we can see that Sebelius got thrown under the bus because the liberals went ape when the White House said that the public option was dropped.

On “The Daily Show,” Stewart went on to deliver a double whammy: He complimented the Bush administration for comparative political acumen, and questioned Obama’s idealism.

“Remember the Bush team?” Stewart said. “Little bit of discipline, little bit of repetition. They sold us a WAR nobody wanted and nobody needed. … Salesmanship! Those guys could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. The Democrats, I don’t even think could sell Eskimos BEEP they need — insulation, heating apparatus. … Yes, we can! [pause] Unless you don’t think we should!”

Yup if you lose Stewart you lose the entire liberal establishment. All of the talking heads like Maddow and Olbermann freaked out when they said they would be open to scrapping the public plan. It is funny to think a comedian and a bunch of liberal talking heads can make the White House roll over like this.

I guess Obama thinks that being liked by Stewart is more important than actually getting something decent through the Senate that doesn't damage his Presidency. I think senior White House people have done the political calculus and figured that a rammed through public plan with 50 votes (using the Senate's weird budget reconciliation process) would doom any chance of bipartisanship or even holding on to their majority in 2010.

It could even cost Obama the 2012 election depending on how up and arms people get if this thing was rammed through. I mean if these town halls aren't contentious enough wait until Obama is stuck with defending whatever horrors lurk in the final bill.