Arianna: If Obama Supports Public Option, It Could Pass Senate

Arianna appeared on "The Ed Show" Thursday to talk about health care reform and the growing possibility that a public option could be approved in the Senate.

Arianna told Ed Schultz that she's convinced that if President Obama comes out and supports the public option, the Senate will support it. "It's clear that we can easily have 50 [votes], or even 53 [votes] provided the White House makes it clear that they want the public option."

Schultz questioned the strategy of some Senate Democrats who have taken a low-key approach to publicly promoting the public option. Arianna agreed, and stressed that timidity is not a quality that will work. "The reason Obama is in the White House is because he ran a bold campaign. So now, to have him and to have Senators act as though they are actually afraid of the consequences of what they are saying is ultimately going to be self defeating. This is a time for them to forget about themselves and fight for the American people. And ironically, that's also the best political strategy."

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