conrad backed up sebelius. and basically said, look. there is no way even though leslie marshal wants it, leslie desperately wants it. there is no way it's going to happen. well aren't there. blue dogs aren't going for it american people aren't going for it they don't want a big government takeover of the health care industry. even though you want it, leslie, krugman wants it. howard dean wants it, not going to happen because the votes around there. so, conrad says it, sebelius says it. obama doesn't say anything directly. and i'm telling you, he has lost, as tammy just said, he has lost control of the process right now, leslie. he has lost it. >> i don't agree that he has lost it and i don't agree that the democrats -- democrats are going to, you know, continue to be fragmented. i think that they need to unite. i think they will unite. >> having been united by this time, going on now for five weeks, all right? they haven't union nighted by this time, are you going to lords to prayer for this? is that what you are doing? there is nothin

the secretary of health kathleen sebelius was here earlier.e president will seek opposition and choice but not necessarily a robust public option. let's listen. >> i'm convinced at the end of the day the plan will have both of those, but that is not the essential element. >> not the essential element, a robust public option. i assume that is good news from a conservative democratic standpoint, but when you come back from washington, do you think you and the president can sell that to speaker pelosi and more liberal democrats? >> well, john, i think at the end of the day there is going to have some common ground here. the reality is it takes 60% to get this done in the senate. it's probably going to have to be bipartisan in the senate, which i think it should be, so i know a lot of members in my party in the house don't want to hear this, but the reality is what comes out of that conference report, which is what really matters, my guess is about 90% of it will be reflected from what's in the senate finance committee bill. >> i've moved over to

we go inside the summer strategy with health secretary kathleen sebelius. we'll also break down your health care flash points line by line, the role of government to talk about so-called death panels with two doctors and a nurse that now serve in the congress. >> then, our american dispatch, from south dakota's cheyenne river reservation, a land to rich in fertile soil, but home to stunning poverty and despair. >>> this is the "state of the union" report for sunday, wiaugt 16th. we begin with someone who has firsthand experience in the contentious term over the debate in health care reform. kathleen sebelius has heard the heckling and the boos and more importantly the questions americans are asking at town hall hosted by members of congress home from their august break. thank you for joining with us, madame secretary. i would like to begin with something that the president said at a town hall out in colorado yesterday. among the most contentious points of the debate is the so-called government or public option, to compete with private insurance companies. b

i think his position, sebelius' position, it is the administration's position. this he with putting it out there that they're willing to move away from that if that's going to be an obstacle for conservative democrats like people like senator ken con kent conrad and max baucus, both on the senate finance committee and both have said they're likely not to vote for any health reform proposal that includes a public option, so they're looking for different ways to approach it that will get to you the same goal, but get the necessary votes so you can have a successful healthcare legislation put in place. bret: but charles, the interesting thing, before you make your point, don't they realize that everybody is watching this debate so closely? people are really paying attention to every word that is back and forth, so did they think, the administration think that they would put this out there and then take it back and say nothing is different? >> i think what they are doing is they're relying on juans to put the ultimate spin on it to make it sound consistent. what is

kathleen sebelius is speaking again. anna nicole smith. the lawsuit over one tell-all book could be the icing on this crazy cake. that is the day in "kelly's court." some lunch. you hungry? yeah. me too. (door crashes in) (broadview alarm) (gasp and scream) go! go! go! go! go! go! (phone rings) hello? this is mark with broadview security. is everything okay? no. someone just tried to break in. i'm sending help right now. thank you. (announcer) brink's home security is now broadview security. call now to install the standard system for just $99. the proven technology of a broadview security system delivers rapid response from highly trained professionals, 24 hours a day. call now to get the $99 installation, plus a second keypad installed free. and, you could save up to 20% on your homeowner's insurance. call now - and get the system installed for just $99. broadview security for your home or business - the next generation of brink's home security. call now. [captioning made possible by fox news channel] captioned by the

secretary sebelius is saying that the non-profit co-op could work. it looks like some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle embrace the idea. we have the latest from washington with caroline shively. >> this development changes the dynamic of the debate in congress. it was dead stuck on the senate side. >> there are not the votes on the public healthcare side and to continue to chase the rabbit is wasted effort. >> deal breaker for republicans answer moderate democrat in the senate. some compare the government run option competing with private run companies to mcdonald's going up a kid's lemonade stand. give at it while and the lemonade stand will be pushed out of business. under conrad proposal in the senate finance committee, the government would provide the seed money for co-ops because they have to have a healthy financial reserve if they have to pay out high plains. then the non-profits would run independently of the government. that idea might just might pull republicans who oppose the current plan to the yes column. >> we already have something

appearing on our sister network cnn this morning, health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius said the option was not essential to the proposed plan. >> the president continues to believe that it's good to have consumer choice, let people choose an option in the new marketplace. >> he continues to be very supportive of some options for consumers. what we don't know is exactly what the senate finance committee is likely to come up. they've been more focused on a co-op, not for profit co-op as a competitor as opposed to a straight government-run program, and i think what's important is choice and competition. and i'm convinced at the end of the day, the plan will have both of those. >> now, some republicans who have opposed the current proposals have indicated that they would accept those co-ops secretary sebelius just mentioned. >>> meantime, president obama taking a little time off today from stumping for his health care proposal. he's taking the first family on a tour of grand canyon national park. if you want to know more about the health care debate and how the reforms coul

welcome secretary kathleen sebelius.oining her in today's discussion is senator arlen specter. house and senate are both working on legislation to look at and -- [people shouting] -- you want us to believe that a government that can't even run a cash for clunkers program is going to run 1/7 of our u.s. economy in sean: i love it, tony. >> that's a tough crowd. later on in that she didn't know a key provision about gender definition. when you get out there in front of americans and you're trying to push something down their throat and you don't even know what's in it, that's one of the things driving the public mad is that the congressmen aren't reading the bills. sean: and arlen specter -- well, i have the democratic party "talking points" here. say no co-peay, and these dopey congressmen are going out there and regurgitating this and getting ridiculed. >> what's happening is it's gone from people like that voter there and about cost and now people are actually concerned about choice and whether the government is going t

joining us secretary of department of health and human services kathleen sebelius.orning. >> good morning, willie, how are you? >> i'm doing well. i'm a little alarmed by the numbers. >> yeah, we are. >> a little nervous. joe has kids. i have little kids that will do to school in a couple of weeks here. i get a sense you would not have released these staggering numbers if you weren't concerned yourself. tell us about the threat. >> the president asked his science and advisory council, top scientists in the world to give him a report. they confirmed what the center for disease control and prevention and our agency thought this is a serious virus, it could affect young adults. it's a union person's virus. that's why we're accelerated the campaign to get a vaccination ready to work with partners at local and state levels at the private sector to think how to get shots in people's arms starting mid october and why we need to take some steps right now so people think about how to keep a child home if he or she is sick. who is going to be the back-up caregiver, who the pr

steve: from the atlantic gotcha information says sebelius misspoke and sebelius was simply mischaracterizedand also talks about how linda douglas, who is the director of the health reform communications at the white house says changed. interesting, on his column yesterday, talked about how this public option, the rumors are that the president never really intended that to go through, but he thought it was -- didn't think it would go through but thought it was a useful bargaining chip. >> that's probably true. >> the president does support and has said that in the past the public option. now, in a sound bite we heard a moment ago from kathleen sebelius, former governor of my state of kansas, she mentioned something competitive. well now there is talk about well what about this co-opt thing which would be privately held but initially funded by the federal government? senator kent conrad touched on that yesterday. >> the idea is the government would front end some of the money and we have the yet to discuss whether all of that or some of that gets paid back. but there would be that amount of i

you have howard dean, you have sebelius, you guys have multiple personalities.on't know what they're going to get, and that's your problem. >> i will concede the democrats are a much, much more diverse party than are the republicans in all senses, including in terms of their points of view. i will also concede that the democrats do have a majority in both house and senate and some democrats, particularly the conservative democrats, don't particularly like the public option. most democrats think the public option is the best way of bringing some competition to an insurance industry. the abuses of which have outlined from time immemorial. it is true democrats are not speaking with one voice. on the other hand, republicans have offered nothing. republicans are -- >> we don't have to offer anything. we do not have to offer one thing. >> but as brad is saying -- well, i guess you don't in one sense n another sense you really do as members of congress in a responsible party. >> we could have the best ideas and you guys wouldn't pass anything. >> what you offer, brad,

. >>> health secretary kathleen sebelius. >> and you're talking down to the american people if you think we're that just stupid. >> two key senators on health care reform. arlen specter and orrin hatch. >>> then -- >> you asked my opinion. i'll tell you my opinion. >> the nation's top diplomat has perhaps an undiplomatic moment. >>> donna brazile, ed gillespie, ron brownstein and anne corn mrut. >>> and as always, the sunday funnies. captions paid for by abc, inc. >>> good morning. george stephanopoulos is taking a well-deserved vacation this week. no such rest for president obama who took to the road with three campaign-style town halls. last night n colorado the president struck a personal note. >> i just lost my grandmother last year. i know what it's like to watch somebody you love, who's aging, deteriorate. so, the notion that somehow i ran for public office or members of congress are in this so they can go around pulling the plug on grandma. when you start making arguments like that, that's simply dishonest. >> joining me now from michigan, the president's top cabinet official, hea

take health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius.weekend, here's what she had to say about the public option -- >> i think what's important is choice and competition, and i'm convinced at the end of the day the plan will have both of those, but that is not the essential element. >> public option, not the essential element. that was on sunday. secretary sebelius today -- >> here's the bottom line. absolutely nothing has changed. we continue to support the public option that will help lower costs, give americans and consumers a choice and keep private insurers honest.

secretary sebelius, july 12th, 2009.e going to hear from senators in a little while about a variety of strategies to get to a public option. this isn't one size fits all. i think the president said we could have competition, the issues of competition and choice and how to bring that into the private marketplace. there are probably a variety of strategies, all of which are on the table. any guess on what network that was on? >> it was on cnn. but on sunday -- >> a very correct assumption. >> sunday she was also on cnn and said the public option is not the essential part of health reform. she didn't say that on july 12th. and on june 15th to the ama, repeatedly the president proactively said the public option was the way to go and -- >> i just said it was the preferred option. >> okay. but then why did he on saturday say if there is a public option or there is not and then the secretary on sunday says it's not the essential part? >> no, no, the president said that on saturday. >> right, i said on saturday he said -- >> bec

as the health be a human services secretary, kathleen sebelius says this morning on television that theld be willing to accepted a bill that does not contain the so-called public option for government-provided health care, and this would be the public option, health care that would be run by the government, but would be in the words of the president, competition for the private health insurance agencies out there. and the president has been pushing for this liberal group, pushing for this over and over and over again and it will get a lot of attention if in fact the white house is willing to move away from quote-unquote public option in favor of what they are calling health insurance cooperatives and people would be able to buy into and we'll get more information about this throughout the morning and bring it. >> jamie: chris wallace way ahead of secretary sebelius's comments you'll hear, a couple of hours ago, our own chris walls loss put the public option question to senator conrad. >> would the president be better off taking the public option off the table right now? >> look, the fac

. >>> health secretary kathleen sebelius. >> and, you're talking down to the american people if you think we're that stupid. >> caught in the town hall cross hairs. >> two key senators on health care reform. arlen specter and orrin hatch. >>> then -- >> you asked my opinion. i'll tell you my opinion. i'm not going to be channeling my husband. >> the nation's top diplomat has perhaps an undiplomatic moment. that and the rest of the week's policy with donna brazile, ed gillespie, ron brownstein and anne kornblut of the washington post. >>> and as always, the sunday the washington post. >>> and as always, the sunday funnies. captions by vitac captions paid for by abc, inc. >>> good morning. >>> good morning. george stephanopoulos is taking a well-deserved vacation this week. no such rest for president obama who took to the road with three campaign-style town halls. to respond attack on democrats' health care plans. including false claims that legislation includes so-called death panels. last n nigig, inololoro thth nono.senent ruruck perernal >>>> jususlostgrgrandmototr know what 's l le toa

so what did secretary sebelius do?sted, mike, or was she just putting it out there? >> all indications, jon, are that she was basically evaluating what the white house has been hearing from members of congress which is there does not appear to be a possibility of a public government-controlled health care option getting through congress. so she may have just been being honest. what we can tell you is aides at the white house have said today that the president still stands by government-controlled health care, still think that's the best option. they say nothing has really changed, but all indications are secretary sebelius was being honest in saying it doesn't appear it's going to happen. so they have to be prepared to move on. jon: it didn't take long. already the white house is getting some pressure from the left on the government health care option, right? >> you're absolutely right. howard dean this morning making the rounds on the morning talk shows said that there is no point in doing health care reform if you do

kathleen sebelius also leaving the door open. though she didn't close the door. she left the door open. that was about trying to bring in kent conrad, a conservative democrat like ben nelson, show flexibility. if they ram this through with the procedural motion, that will close that door and conservative democrats will be angry. what's this all about this weekend was showing flexibility, giving conservative democrats and moderate republicans a couple more weeks through the end of this recess. the key time frame will be mid-september when congress comes back. they're going to let it go by then. if there's no movement by then that's when they would pull the trigger. >> it really is curious. today, senator chuck grassley, lead republican trying to -- been in the room trying to negotiate something, he revealed in a private meeting with the president he's the one who suggested that the president should, public, you know, he could go for a bill that doesn't have that government-run health care option. you have so much of this maneuvering going on and it would seem on t

and sebelius say another town ha hall. >> julie: thank you very much.e swine flu sale, the sale of skin sanitizers has jumped dramatically, but the f.d.a. says one brand can hurt you more than help you. we're talking about product, the f.d.a. say they contain harmful bacteria that can cause infections and u.s. marshals seized the clar conundrum products after the utah company refused to destroy them. they made a million of these products, if you've got any, throw them away the f.d.a. says. when it comes to protecting your skin, you hear about how you need to stay out of the sun to prevent skin cancer, how do you get all of that vitamin d we need. our skin makes the vitamin naturally spending five minutes a day in the sun. not everyone spends that much time out and others are wearing sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, so what can we do? dr. jennifer walton of here in new york city is to try to help us out and my mom yelling at me don't spend too much time in the sun. parents are takeling that literally. very young people are deficient of vitamin d because

basically they're attacking obama, attacking sebelius over things that, i mean sebelius and obama are trying to help them live longer and these guys are demanding no. >> steven, i want to draw on a little bit of your past because i think it's relevant in this context. >> um-hum. >> the government's job is to enforce the rules of the game. >> um-hum. >> to say if you want to get rich, you want to be successful, you must do something. you either have to start a small business. you have to create something of value, but you can't simply go to the banking side and play ponzi schemes and parlor games with money in a game of who's the richest, that's not capitalism, and i think people are coming to understand that. but the frustration is that the ref is not saying to people on the money side you must put money in, you can't take money out. >> let's be accurate. it's not the ref per se is not doing their job. the ref is doing the onon the people they're supposed to be representing. >> right. >> there's a difference. that's the question that people have about this government, when you're talk

secretary sebelius. [applause] >> good morning. thank you. to come to washington alone, so i had to bring kathy with me. but i am totally delighted that she was willing to accept the challenges as assistant secretary of aging. i can tell you from my experience she will be fabulous. she has an enormous passion for issues confronting seniors in this country, and has done some creative and important work in kansas in terms of not only helping to fight for consumer issues but rebalancing our portfolio in terms of community care, providing a continuum of care, working on behalf of seniors in the heartland. i know that same passion and energy will be brought with her here to d.c. and she works on behalf of seniors across the country. i know of barbara's could work with fraud, but i did that know she was from kansas. i am delighted to be with two fellow jayjawks. kathy and i go back along way and have a long history together, so i know you have a real champion in her as the leader of the agency on aging. i want to also acknowledged the senior medica

we need some choices, we need some competition. >> secretary sebelius this morning. and if the public option is off the table, could that change the debate? let's discuss that. as you listen to what the secretary is saying this morning, what president obama said yesterday, in the town hall far u forum. it sounds like the administration is backing off the public option, ever so slightly. >> it does sound that way. what secretary sebelius says pretty much does line up from what we heard from president obama at the town hall meeting in colorado. the president basically acknowledged that a final deal would not necessarily include a public option. and the president, again, saying this in grand junction, colorado, at that ton hawn hall. >> the public option, whether we have it or don't have it, is no the entirety of health care reform this is just one sliver of it, one aspect of it. and by the way, it's both the right and left that have become so fixated on this, they forget everything else. >> so the president there suggesting it is possible that a fi final deal might not

secretary sebelius -- july 12, 2009.e about a variety of strategies to get to a public option. this is not one size fits all. the president said that we need to have the issue of competition and choice, and how to bring that into the private marketplace. there are a variety of strategies on the table. any guess of what that word that was on? >> cnn. on sunday she also said that the public option was not an essential part of health reform. she did not say that before. on june 15, the president repeatedly said the public option was the way to go. >> i just said it was the preferred option. >> why then did the secretary say on sunday that it is not the essential part? >> the president said that on saturday. >> he had not said -- >> the president has said repeatedly that he is open to ideas. his preferred option is the public plan. he said that on saturday. i said that on sunday. secretary sebelius on your network said that on sunday. this notion that something is markedly changed. let me step back one second. we throw aroun

that comes from kathleen sebelius, secretary of health and human services.at she misspoke. -- now a white house spokesman says that she misspoke. hi, everybody. it is a great new weekend -- great new day here in "america's newsroom." bill: did you have a good weekend? megyn: started to feel self- conscious at the beach. bill: another one. [laughter] a leading democratic senator, part of the negotiations on the senate side, admitting that the government run health insurance does not have the votes to pass. last month the president said that any plan that he signed it would need insurance exchange. you would be able to track a variety of plans. megyn: mike, traveling live with the president. kathleen sebelius suggested that the administration was willing to give up on the public option. it set off a firestorm. >> all indications are that the health and human services secretary was reacting to the political reality. negotiating a deal that the public option is not going to be able to get through. what seemed a bit more acceptable to moderate republicans and dem

here's what kathleen sebelius said about negotiations in the senate. >> they've been more focused on a co-op, not for profit co-op, as a competitor as opposed to a straight, government-run program. i'm convinced the plan will have both, but that is not the essential element. >> but the white house says president obama still wants a public option. when the douglas communications director for the health reform office says nothing has changed -- this weekend, president obama said the public option is just a sliver of the plan, but didn't bring up the topic during his speech just a short time ago. >> and since there's been so much misinformation out there about health insurance reform, let me say this. one thing that reform won't change is veterans health care. >> and once again, the president was greeted by protesters in phoenix, arizona today. some with guns strapped to their legs. police say there is no cause for serious concern. joining us now, politico. >> i think the house secretary, kathleen sebelius, kind of said out loud what folks inside the white house have been saying, that t

kathleen sebelius leaving the door open to no public option. she didn't close the door either. that was about trying to bring in kent conrad, a conservative democrat like ben nelson in the senate, show flexibility. if they ram this through with this procedural motion that will close that door and conservative democrats will be potentially angry. what this is all about this weekend is showing flexibility, giving conservative democrats and moderate republicans a couple more weeks, to the end of the recess. the key time frame will be mid september when congress comes back. if there is no movement then they would pull the trigger. >> anderson, it was very interesting, today chuck grassley, the lead republican who has been trying to -- been in that room trying to negotiate something he revealed in a private meeting with the president he's the one who suggested that the president should make public that he could go for a bill that doesn't have the government-run health care option. so you have so much maneuvering going on and it would seem on the one hand if something like chuck gras

we need some choices we he need some competition. >> again, that was secretary sebelius. now if this public option is off the table could that be a game-changer in the debate? find out when we talk to cnn's elaine quijano, at the white house. you are not at the white house, you are in washington. you are still in washington. i want to ask you oh lane about this, because it sounds like, sounds like the administration is slightly backing off of this concept and the public option or government option. >> reporter: that's right, melissa it does sound that way. what secretary sebelius said there in the soundbite you just heard pretty much echoes what the president himself said at a town hall meeting, basically acknowledged that a final deal with not necessarily include a public option. take a listen to what he said at this town hall meeting yesterday in grand junction, colorado. >> the public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform. this is just one sliver of it, one aspect of it. and by the way, it's both the right and the lef

controversial part of the healthcare reform push were dominating the sunday talk shows, even before the sebelius news broke. caroline shively joins us from the bureau in washington, d.c. this is a bombshell, caroline. i'm curious whether killing the pub llic insurance option, turning it to to cocan op helps or hurt the bill's chances? >> it will do both. on the senate side, it would absolutely help. on "fox news sunday," ken conrad, democrat, gang of six, bipartisan group in the finance committee negotiating this. he says there are not votes for the public option on this side of thing on the senate. so he came up with the idea for non-profit co-op run by the companies. the insurance company instead of government getting involved. it would help on the senate side. opponents of healthcare should take a look at it. if you look at the house side, three committees passed a bill with the public option. i think it would pull off liberal democrats on the house but might game traction on the senate. >> interesting when we talk about the house first. when they go back to session and they have all the choi

stepping back a little bit, like he was personally himself, and like we saw secretary seb beale sebelius do and suggest medical co-ops, what is a medical co-op, michael, and how would it work? >> well, what a cooperative means is that the members govern the health plan, so the members are like stockholders. they elect the management team. they are the ones who are in control, but think about if the government charters this new co-op, how many members are there going to be on day one? there aren't going to be any, so who is going to be running this new program? well, the government is going to be running this new program. in effect, it could be exactly the same program as the house democrats want to see. it could, indeed, be medicare for people under 65. we are just calling it a co-op. we just renamed it because we think that will sell with some moderates in the senate. >> the government wouldn't just change of it so it is more palatable. they wouldn't take medicare from everybody and call it a co-op and have decision making power. >> do you pay much attention to the government? >> this i

kathle kathleen sebelius saying it was no an essential part of the bill.house nothing has changed. so does the president still think the public option is the best way

in the meantime, health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius says states should prepare for the flu as if it were a resurgence of the 1918 pandemic that killed 100 million people worldwide. >>> investigators in idaho looking for a missing boy are focusing on a home in boise. they searched it yesterday and on friday. and also closed off a landfill on the property. the homeowner says investigators dug in his backyard after police dogs picked up a scent in his truck. he says his truck was stolen before the boy disappeared and someone later returned it. >> i was pretty devastated that my truck is being -- considered part of this. whatever lead helps. i have complete cooperation with them. because it's a little boy that needs to be found. >> wallace also said he is innocent. 8-year-old robert manwill disappeared nine days ago. police have no suspects, but following about 300 tips in this case. >>> new york's laguardia airport is back on schedule today, that's after a fake bomb caused a massive evacuation. the suspect, scott mcgann is being held without bail for allegedly bringing

. >> a wake-up call that may have prompted kathleen sebelius to turn a political u-turn. this weekend she echoed the president's perceived compromise on the option. today she had this to say: >> we continue to support the options that will support lower cost, give american consumers more choice, and keep private insurers honest. >> reporter: secretary sebelius compared the current battle to the 1965 fight for medicare. at the time it barely passed, but now she says is beloved by many. viviana hurtado, abc news, washington. >>> the latest now on the storms out in the atlantic causing a lot of concern. claudette made landfall yesterday in florida's panhandle. she appears to be breaking up now over the south. at least one death is being blamed on that storm. anna is churning in the caribbean right now, and is expected to bring heavy rains. but the one we're keeping a close eye on has been hurricane bill. it's a little tricky to see because it's upside down, but that is bill out this the atlantic as seen by a nasa satellite. >> i could see it pretty well there. it looks big.

commerce secretary and health and human services kathleen sebelius will join us live. >>> with twitternd facebook getting hit by hackers, what are the best way for businesses to protect themselves online as well. cyber attacks beyond swine flu. look forward to that, very much. >> washington is warning businesses right now that they should begin now preparing for what could be a very active flu season, especially if swine flu rears up once again. joining us one again, commerce secretary gary lock and we welcome health and human services kathleen sebelius. thank you for joining us today. >> thank you. >> secretary sebelius, how extensive are we expecting this season to be and what role will swine flu play in that? >> we don't know. what we know is seasonal flu kills about 40,000 people a year, has 200,000 people hospitalized in millions of cases. we and that this flu season will be worse because we'll have a mixture of h1n1 with seasonal flu. a couple of steps that we'd like employers to begin to think about, one is get your seasonal flu shot right away. it's available right now, the vac

kathleen sebelius says the white house will consider all proposals that include choice and competition. >> what we don't know is what the senate finance committee is likely to come up with. they've been more focused on a co-op and not for profit co-op as a competitor opposed to a straight government run program. i think what's important is choice and competition and i'm convinced at the end of the day the plan will have both of those. that's not the essential element. >> some high profile democrats like howard dean are not on board with the white house on this. he says true health care reform must include a public option. >>> at a town hall meet in philadelphia, senator arlen specter echoed the president's sentiments saying successful health care reform does not rely on any single element. >> the debate is present as to whether there will be a public option or whether it will be exclusively in the private sector. if there's a public option, the private sector will remain. some of the objections to the public option may be answered by having a co-op which is a little bit different. it's

over on the house side, there are 60 democrats who have signed on to a letter to kathleen sebelius. okay? the secretary of health and human services. i mean, they have drawn their line in the sand over on the house side. and one of them who has signed it is congresswoman barbara lee and she joins us tonight here on "the ed show." congresswoman lee, i appreciate your time here. do you believe that the white house has got a problem with their messaging? >> well, let me say i believe that the white house fully supports a public health option. when i heard the secretary's comments i immediately called the white house to clarify what the position was, because of course there are many of us who are insisting that there be not only a strong public health option but a robust public health option very similar to medicare in any legislation that leaves the house. and so i'm confident that the white house is on board, that they're supportive of a public health option. and of course, the dynamic of negotiations are continuing. but i believe -- >> wait a minute now. now, congresswoman, how's thi

department of health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius.e secretary, thanks for being with us. let me ask you first of all about the consequence that i have heard from people on the hill, some of your colleagues in the administration about the august recess with all those raucous town hall meetings and that is the demise of the bipartisan negotiations in the finance committee given the comments from senator grassley, senator enzi and some others. do you agree that those are not going anywhere and that this is going to end up in all probability as a democratic bill? >> well, i think the president is still very hopeful that we'll have a bipartisan approach coming out of the senate finance committee and discussions are still under way even though the senate is on recess. i know the members, the six members who have been kind of negotiating with one another for the last couple of months have continued on. our staff has been very much involved in those discussions and we're still very optimistic that there will be a bipartisan approach that the

you can't have sebelius going on the sunday talk shows and saying the public plan is not essential. today changing her mind. remember, it started in early july when rahm emanuel said, when the president was in russia that the public option was dispensable. that has to stop. the public option is essential and the president needs to make that clear. >> arianna huffington of the huffington post. as always, thanks. >> thank you. >>> we have kent conrad's magic bullet with which to sort this all out. the insurance co-op which the gao and most democrats say will not lower consumer prices nor will it be able to muster any leverage against the private insurance giants, in which the republicans today say, still counts in their books as a public option, a government takeover, socialism, fascism, despotism and pulling the plug on grandma and the sinking of the "titanic." bottle? except that you'll save, like, $600 bucks a year. but other than that, we're pretty much the same. pur. good, clean water. what's in it for me? i'm not looking for a bailout, just a good paying job. that's why i like t

we will confront kathleen is he beel sebelius.r break news, politics and extraordinary reports from around the world. you are in "the situation room." >>> three new arrows up for the economy. we are seeing increases today in stock prices, consumer confidence and home prices. to hear president obama tell it, the federal chairman, ben bernanke, who deserves a lot of the credit. the president announced he is nominating bernanke to a second term. praising him as a creative risk taker. he did not bring up that the recession began on bernanke's watch. dan lothian is with the president on martha's vineyards. hello, dan. >> reporter: hello, suzanne. this announcement came as the white house was releasing the stunning numbers on the deficit expected to hit around $9 trillion over the next ten years. this gave some republicans a chance to pounce on the news. house minority leader saying, the alarm bills on our nation's fiscal condition has now become a siren. even though, as you pointed out, the president was talking up some positive news o

let's look at kathleen sebelius getting these responses from the crowd. >> when i look atç the healthlan, i see nothing that is about health or about care. [cheers and applause] what i see is a bureaucratic nightmare, senator. medicare is broke. medicaid is broke. social security is broke. and you want us toç believe tht a government that cannot even run a cash for clunkers program is going to run, 1/7 of our economy. no, sir, no. sean: does that seem manufactured? like this was inciting an angry mob? is that a way to handle what is going on at these meetings? >> first of all, the language that was used, "the k street lobbyists," this is poll driv en. this is a battle between america and the washington, d.c., takeover of america. sean, do you realize that they're going to divert money intended for medicare to help pay for this health-care takeover? i think it seniors saw this, and i do a lot of work with seniors, and i respect their contribution to american society -- i think if seniors saw this -- sean: i want you to comment after this next group of tapes that i am going to show you

they are giving owe officials like kathleen sebelius and arlen specter an earful. >> you want us to believe that a government that can't even run a cash for clunkers program is going to run 1/7 of >> our u.s. economy? no, sir! no, sir! >> democrats are likely to face more of the same over the next few weeks. house members headed home for recess with a letter from leadership asking them to hold more of these meetings telling them winning the debate will require an aggressive multi-front ev effort to control the message and the memo outlines it. "our message is simple and counters the republican government takeover message. hold the insurance companies accountable." but from the sound of this angry crowd in austin, texas, they were more interested in holding democratic congressman lloyd dawson accountable. the evidence of shifting ant merely anecdotal. a rasmussen poll shows that there is a major change in how americans feel about the healthcare system. one year ago 37% said it was poor with only 29% calling it good or excellent. those figures have flipped. 48% view it as good or excellent, u

liberal lawmakers meantime wrote a letter to sebelius saying the public option is key for sound health care. house speaker nancy pelosi said the option will indeed be part of the house bill. >> it is a deal breaker because the whole idea behind health care reform, is to bring down the cost. we cannot bring down the cost unless there is a public option. >> one alternative to a public option, health care cooperatives. but are coops a viable alternative? jeff abell has the latest. >> just culled over the weekend it got dry and red. >> four randy taylor, a health care plan run by the government is not an option. >> i don't want the government in my life. as a matter of fact i work for the government. i don't want them running my life. >> so taylor has joined a health care cooperative. in coops consumers pool money and purchase health insurance as a group. some washington lawmakers believe coops could be the answer to putting competition back into the insurance market. >> by adding competition to the market you tend to reduce prices and increase the quality of service. >> there were already

she says the -- they are optimistic that a vaccine will be available in mid-october and sebelius says it will probably be thanksgiving before high-priority populations are completely vaccinated against the virus. >>> all right, so many older americans who have insurance are afraid that reform will change their care for the worst. our chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta takes a closer look at what the reform bills are really saying. >> well, there is a term you hear a lot talking about health care reform, and that term is rationing. what does that mean? we came here to this intensive care unit at southern regional hospital to try to find out, and what we heard was a tale of three sisters. >> reporter: at 78, thelma is the youngest, and then there's caroline who is 80, and helen who is the oldest, she's 82. >> are you worried with health care reform -- a lot of people have been talking -- >> i'm concerned with it. >> tell me why. >> i try not to worry. well, i have read some things that says that as you get older you're wait and wait and wait to have surgery. and older people a