in the program we'll be joinedy a group familiar with the issue of health care and th program, joseph califanormer secretary of hlth, ucation and welfa during the cart administration, david brooks of e "new york times," al hunt of bloombergnews, and rich lry of the national revi. i pleased to have all ofthem onhis live broadcast tonight from washingtonnd new york. i begin wh peoplewho were there in the hall listening to this spee and ask ts basic question: what did the speech change? >> i hope what it chaed was tually informg the people of this country rlly what this bill, whathis leglation as we go forward entails. as i did my town halls, 19 of them throughou northwester pennsylvania, i foundhat there wasust a lot of confusi and a lot of peopl who were very frighten sod i think the president kind of laid out what this plan is and i hope that he took a lot of the misrresentations and a lot of the fears of the people have had. >> re: do you think touched the bases that he d to do? >> oh, i do. believe he certainly took on all e mispresentations right away. almost scoldg those w really have been

you talked about l.b.j., i mean old school joseph califano, god love you. l.b.j. is a former legislator, would come in, sit you down from whatever room in his place he was hiding and he would say "i want x, y, and z in this bill." and he'd find a way to make that happen. tonight as i said earlier, the public option, we're still discussing whether or not he thinks that's essential. and that's the key element in the internal democratic debate that has to happen. >> rose: well, i'm not sure we're discussing that. i think david brooks clearly said... and al hunt both said that the public option tonight the president made clear it's not essential. >> well you're going to have i think over 100 progressives and other democrats that have said that the public option is critical to their vote. and, look.... >> rose: okay, so they vote for hit in the house and then it goes to conference and... >> and then it gets taken out. it becomes problematical. >> we used to do this, charlie. we used to do this. we were in minority because of it. we would start a bill on the far right a

you talked abo l.b., i meanold school joseph califano god love you. l.b.j. is a former legislator, would come in, sit you dow from whatever room his place h wahiding and he would say "i want x, y,nd z in this bill." d he'd find a way to ma that happen. tonight as i said earlier, the public option, we're still discussing whether or not thinks that's essential. and at's the key ement in the inrnal democratic debate that haso happen. >> re: well, i'm noture we're discussinthat. i think david brooks carly sa... and al hunt both said that t public option night the president me clear it's not essential. >> wel you'reoing to have i think over 100 progrsives and other democrats thathave said that the publicption is criticalo their vote. and, look.... rose: okay, so they vot for hit in the house and then it goes to conference and... >> and tn it gets taken out. it becomes problemical. we used to do this, charlie. we used do this. we we in minority because of it we would start aill on the far right and try to move it to e ceer counting ourown noses whilthe public and