host: representative, we are joined by carrie budoff brown of "the politico." guest: hi, representative pallone. on the senate side, they are taking a strong look at a proposal from senator kent conrad on a cooperative, a nonprofit cooperative, as an alternative to the public plan. you said you are considering a public plan based on medicare. it is kent conrad's model something that your colleagues are taking a look at, that even has any chance of passing the house? if not, i guess given that the senate is not looking at a medicare model for the public plan, how do the two changers' bridge -- how do the two chambers bridge your differences on that point? guest: i use medicare as an example because people familiar with it. i think the people that fear a public plan are afraid that it is going to be all paid for by the federal government, it is not going to make a profit, and the federal government is going to favor it in many ways as possible so that there is not a level playing field. what we have said and what i have said is that you have to create a level pla