Brit Hume Corrects O'Reilly On Public Option: "It Is Kind Of Popular"

The Public Option! Like the sliced bread and soft ice cream of yore, it's something that's been crazy popular with the public. But for months and months, the naturally poll-obsessed media found many contorted ways to simply ignore the consistent and widespread favor that citizens of our fair Republic have showered on this idea. Until recently, anyway! That's when the House and the Senate, in separate bills, successfully preserved in each some manner of "public option-like material," and in that new dawn, suddenly the public option had "momentum."

Of course, that read of the situation is utterly false, and speaks solely to the fact that the media simply could no longer ignore its popularity. Still, now that the "public option momentum" meme has taken hold, we're treated to such spectacles as Fox News' Brit Hume -- who never misses a chance to despair at how awful health care reform will be on Fox News Sunday -- begrudgingly "correcting" Bill O'Reilly's contention that "the folks" -- THE FOLKS! -- "don't want [the public option.]"

[WATCH]

O'REILLY: They call it, you know, the public sector. What is the -

HUME: Public option, you mean?

O'REILLY: Public option, whatever. The folks don't want it. ... But it looks to me like they have maybe 55 votes to pass it. And that means they could be filibustered and never come up for a vote.

HUME: That's what it looks like right now. The public option, actually some polls show that the public option standing by itself is not at all unpopular, but it is kind of popular. But that depends on how the poll question is raised. ... We don't need to go into all that right now.

O'Reilly could use all the clarity he can get on the matter! Not too long ago, O'Reilly seemed to come out in support of the public option, saying, "I want, not for personally for me, but for working Americans, to have a option, that if they don't like their health insurance, if it's too expensive, they can't afford it, if the government can cobble together a cheaper insurance policy that gives the same benefits, I see that as a plus for the folks." THE FOLKS! Who now don't want it, I guess? SO FOLKING CONFUSED.

MORE:
Hume Corrects O'Reilly's False Claim That 'Folks Don't Want' The Public Option: It's Actually 'Kind Of Popular' [ThinkProgress]

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Comments

[Beca]

For the sake of simplicity, why can't we call the Public Insurance Option the GENERIC INSURNACE PLAN. This will help solve many issues of interpretation the "Public Option" currently has, especially among the more ignorant tea bagger population who have no idea what that might be, so they take their cues from the corporate cabal's mouthieces. Calling it the Generic Insurance Plan, would be practically self-explanatory. Everyone knows (at least most people) what Generic is--it is a no-frills less expensive option, and Generic products are placed right next to their Brand-name products in stores everywhere, as a means of spurring competition, and offering people CHOICES from paying a heck of a lot more to paying a heck of a lot less for the same product--less the frills and brand-name. It will also eliminate most of the opponents' arguments: "public option would drive private insurance companies out of dusiness"--what generic product has driven their brand-name competitors out of business? none--Americans are brand-name snobs, there is little chance that will happen with health insurance. The "government control" argument would also loose its steam because people will understand that the "Generic Insurance Plan" will only be one CHOICE among many PRIVATE (aka brand-name) Insurance Plans.
So, why isn't it called Generic Insurance Plan? is it because even the "proponents" are getting padded by the private insurance industry, so less clarity is better?

[mrogi]

Brit Hume is correct. Public option is popular.

[MakeAWish]

When Fox news starts thinking this non health care bill is a good idea, then we know it's a BAD bill!!!

[Aaron Peeples]

It sounds as if people on the right are programmed (or dare I say indoctrinated) to be against any idea that comes from the left, no matter how good it is. So Bill O'Reilly can be against the public option because it has a name and comes from the left, but he can be FOR the exact same idea when HE'S the one describing it and it no longer has the name given to it by liberals.

This wouldn't necessarily be a problem if he was the only one who does it, but actual right-wing politicians do it constantly. It's like the sole purpose of the Republican Party is to oppose whatever the Democratic Party proposes, right or wrong. That is no way to govern.

[SimonSezz]

You are right Mr. Peeples that is no way to govern this is why we as a nation are in the state that we're in

[lemonyashes]

And while we will continue in a downward spiral.

[lemonyashes]

I think government in this country is too big too fail and maybe it's time we break it up. Then maybe if I live in a blue state I'll also belong to a blue country. I'm tired of these polar opposites trying to govern together it's a lose-lose situation.

[Beca]

You are correct, and all this Left Vs Right crap has been carefully orchestrated by the Corporate cabals to get people off the real issues. They have used this for decades, and as people become more educated, their efforts have stepped up significantly. It's called "Divide and Conquer" I am sure you have heard of it. What better way at confusing everything and making people fight against their neighbors instead of having the entire populace realize that the enemies of us all are the Corporate Barons. The real war is and has been since the 1800's between the American people and the Corporate Barons.
Just look at the thousands of Ameircans who are fighting hard against their best interests- affordable and accessible health care--and most of these people don't have health insurance, are at risk of loosing their insurance, or are on Medicare? Yet they chant the anti-reform chants they are taught by their handlers--the paid hit-men of the corporate barons. Sad.

[afgail]

There is a paradigm shift at FOX. Instead of lying 24/7 as has been their practice, they are going to try airing a few facts and evidence based stories to build credibility. The better to shield future lies from an increasingly skeptical public.

[jennylynn]

Good bye to the liberals over this.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

[Jase84]

I stay away from links distorted links provided by Rasmussen.­...

[The Professor]

And Pew and Gallup. Are there any others?

[jon86]

Rasmussen's polls are unscientific. They just call random people, and people in red states are more likely to answer their questions. Other polls are more scientific.

[miketothad]

Ignorance-The Fake News Conservative's badge of honor.

[jennylynn]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

[Jase84]

Rasmussen is so skewed and biased its not funny. Nobody with half a brain takes their polls seriously.

[Beca]

Go ahead, eliminate the Public Option (aka Generic Insurance Plan). You will be paying gobs more in the Insurance Subsidies that will help pay the premiums of those working Americans who don't earn enough to afford their own health insurance. GO AHEAD! Without the less expensive Public Option (aka Generic Health Insurance Plan), we will all be paying MORE towards the millions of Health Insurance Subsidies for the millions of low-income working Americans. Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot!
For example: the insurance premium for a private health insurance plan is say $750 per month; the insurance premium for a generic health insurance plan (aka PUBLIC OPTION) is say $150 per month. Those of you who oppose a Public Option (aka GENERIC HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN) would rather pay the subsidies of a $750/month insurance plan than of a $150/month insurance plan.
The Public Option (aka Generic Health Insurance Plan) would just be one of many health insurance choices everyone would have (the existing private health insurance plans would be included). WHAT IS WRONG WITH OFFERING A LESS EXPENSIVE GENERIC HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AS ONE OF MANY HEALTH INSURANCE CHOICES?
Just because Democrats suggested it? Be real!

[RSKaz]

"Whatever" is best Billo can muster. There you go.

[fastronaut]

O'Reilly pretends to not *know* the phrase "public option? " I'd actually like to speak to the viewer who believed that pantomime.

[ArkayMI]

O'Reily is illogican as ever. He says public option is not popular but the house which faces a reelection in 2010 voted for it because of expediency and senate members who do not face the electorate in 2010 will vote against it. Totally illogical !!

[StopMakingSense2]

Only faux nooz viewers care what these clowns say and of course it doesn't add up.

Problem is it is a half measure. Gets everybody in but doesn't control costs. I'm surprised the health care machine is opposed. Looks like a pay day to me.. There was no way of getting it all so hopefully it will get fixed in the future. Incrementa­lism...

[Beca]

They are not really opposed, they are just pretending to be. You will notice how they are ONLY opposed to the idea of the creation of a less expensive Generic Health Insurance Plan ( aka Public Option), and they are very happily silent about the

-Individual Mandate that will require every single American to buy health insurance or face a penalty of 2.5% of your income?

-Subsidies to be provided to working Americans earning less than 150% of the poverty line (about $16,200) to purchase health insurance coverage. (this is what is going to cost the most but nobody seems to be balking about this!)

The only reason they are focused only on the Public Option (aka Generic Health Insurance Plan) is because it might serve as real competition for these greedy self serving private insurance barons, and they don't want to have to work for their profits-they have had it way too good for way too long for them to be willing to have to actually work a little hard for our business.

[indy169]

and these clowns are kind of d-bags

[proc]

Zogby Interactive: Obama Job Approval on Healthcare Legislation Sits At 39%

[TuoulumneFlower]

Well, Billo, "whatever" is also pretty much my response to you. Slime.

[sarahwaters]

Hume is a pinhead, no doubt about it, but this time he looks good.
o'reilly is in love with himself.