I missed the earlier thread about the co-op gambit, but in case it hadn’t been mentioned, my congressman, Jim Moran, put out a press release earlier this week, Co-ops No Substitute for Public Option. I haven’t gotten him to take the Pledge yet, but I’m working on it, since it seems to be in line with everything else he’s saying and doing.

I’ve been invited to a teleconference health reform forum this Sunday with Senator Amy Klobuchar. They will call me when it starts (don’t call us, we’ll call you). If I get a chance to ask a question, what do you think I should ask her?

- Tom

Some good noises on the bipartisanship question — a bit too nice to Grassley et al., but he basically said “I don’t have any control over the political strategy on the other side, but I have an obligation to get this done for the American people one way or another.” Yeah, I’d prefer “screw the GOP,” but I understand that it’s not necessarily strategic to say that.

Let’s put it to him when he stands next to Gov. Dean on the 25th in Southlake. If you don’t ask, I will. ;-D

For those of us who couldn’t watch, how closely did what he say to the forum track with what is being reported he said on Michael Smerconish’s show earlier today. According to the article in The Hill,

In two separate appearances [OFA and Smerconish], Obama said healthcare reform would become law despite “hand-wringing” by liberals and the media.

[On the Smerconish show,] Obama said Sebelius did not “misspeak” when she said last Sunday that the public health insurance option is “not essential” to reform. He did acknowledge that “some folks on the left” and the press “got a little excited.”

TomR,

I just participated in my first tele-conference call with my rep, Diane Watson. The call started at 7pm, but my phone didn’t ring until 7:15pm and I was connected to the call in progress (missed her whole opening statement). The Operator eventually came on to get my question, but there were too many people ahead of me and my question never came up.

You might check to see if you can be one of the first constituents called, or whether the process is completely automated.

Thank you for your advice Rosalind.

- Tom