Administration Official: "Sebelius Misspoke."

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/08/administration_official_sebelius_misspoke.php

An administration official said tonight that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "misspoke" when she told CNN this morning that a government run health insurance option "is not an essential part" of reform. This official asked not to be identified in exchange for providing clarity about the intentions of the President. The official said that the White House did not intend to change its messaging and that Sebelius simply meant to echo the president, who has acknowledged that the public option is a tough sell in the Senate and is, at the same time, a must-pass for House Democrats, and is not, in the president's view, the most important element of the reform package.

A second official, Linda Douglass, director of health reform communications for the administration, said that President Obama believed that a public option was the best way to reduce costs and promote competition among insurance companies, that he had not backed away from that belief, and that he still wanted to see a public option in the final bill. "Nothing has changed.," she said. "The President has always said that what is essential that health insurance reform lower costs, ensure that there are affordable options for all Americans and increase choice and competition in the health insurance market. He believes that the public option is the best way to achieve these goals."

A third White House official, via e-mail, said that Sebelius didn't misspeak. "The media misplayed it," the third official said.

grantcart.....you just crack me up...:rofl:

thanks for the belly laugh which brought much
needed relief from the tensions of the day!

their antlers shrivel from the heat.

Who is this "mystery WH official"? Could've been my grandma for all I know ...

I seem to remember her doing that before on something that had activists all in a dither.

:rofl:

Hell No!

Waddabucnhabullshit!

:fistbump:

:rofl:

:fistbump:

Come on kathleen, I was hoping to vote for you come 2016

I have to admit that I have been getting a little nervous, but I have been trying not to freak out at all of the bad news.

From someone who 'asked not to be identified'.

Does anyone in this administration know which end is up?

That's what we have been talking about. Actually a public option really is necessary for real change.

I think it should be seen as one of the make or break elements.... On the other hand they are saying it is essential, so.....

We have Sebelius on the record.

"the president, who has acknowledged that the public option is a tough sell in the Senate and is, at the same time, a must-pass for House Democrats, and is not, in the president's view, the most important element of the reform package."

So its NOT important?

important element in the reform package.

Specifically, he seems to expound a lot on the importance of banning exclusions for pre-existing conditions and restricting the imposition of yearly or lifetime caps on care. If I was going to bet, I'd say Obama believes those are the most important aspects of reform. That isn't to say he doesn't believe a public option is or is not important.

But now we have an anonymous official who is going on the unofficial record correcting her "misstatement".

Puhlease.

But I am none too pleased with this response. What does this person mean by saying the public option is not the most important element of the reform package? I thought the President said the public option was essential to keep the insurance companies honest and to drive down costs?

I still read all this as the Administration backing away, albeit slowly, from the public option.

:dem:

-Laelth

Mandatory private health insurance for all. Yay!

I think the DU front page needs a color coded health care reform threat level indicator. That way I can know whether or not to panic with just a glance.

Trial balloon? Flat-footed blunder? Addle-headed blathering? Who knows.

Far too many people are in far too much of a hurry to get in a dither of outrage to either proclaim themselves correct or deeply wronged in a diva-like swoon.

Not the tightest operation, though, and that's not a reassuring sign...

Let's see how it all develops.

.... a "public option" and I wonder what it would take for some of you morons to read between the fucking lines.

When Obama says "not the most important part" that means he is not pushing for it, he does not think he can get it and it is not happening.

Get a clue already, Obama has caved to the corps at every opportunity, that's not going to change now.

They're gonna show it again at 3am, 4:30am, 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am, 11am, 5pm, 6pm, 10pm, ...

Count on it.

Was the WH fire department sleeping late on a Sunday morning? Or?

Convenient how he/she says Sebelius misspoke but he can't be identified for any follow up. The other administration official says she didn't misspeak. The media just didn't understand her. Right - don't believe your ears believe us. Sure Obama is "for" a public option. But he is signaling he will sign a bill without it. "The best I could get folks".