Senator Landrieu's press office clarified the Senator's comment regarding the public option:
Senator Landrieu is committed to reforming the health care system and ensuring that all Americans are covered. She is reviewing all of the reform proposals. Senator Landrieu does not believe that health care reform starts with a public option. However, she is open to compromise in a comprehensive legislative package, and is focused on appropriate consumer protection and patient-centered care.
I'm confused. If the Senator is opposed to the public option, as she stated yesterday, then why did she write a letter to the good folks behind Health Care for Americans NOW supporting a public option not even two months ago, stating:
"HCAN principles embody an approach that actually delivers a solution of guaranteed quality, affordable health care for all in America. Under this approach, everyone gets a choice of health insurance plans, including the right to keep your current insurance, choose another private plan or to join a public health insurance plan."
What happened in the intervening two months to convince the Senator that including a public option is "not the way to go?"
In addition, the most frustrating part of this whole brouhaha is that the Republicans are now using the Senator's comments to help make the case they have "bipartisan" support for killing the public option.
