Joe Biden rallies Health Care Reform troups; where's "public option"?

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Ok, enough (for now) of this Marni Phillips, Brooke Hundley, Steve Phillips Internet candy stuff. It's time to get serious and that means politics and Heath Care Reform'!

And just in time was this email I received from Vice President Joe Biden. It's a 'rally the troups to support Heath Care Reform' email to donors, but I cleaned it up for public blogging. Biden's message remains here. What's news is that the insurance companies are spending "7 million bucks a week on lobbyists" to defeat health care reform.

I wonder where he got that number? Seems more like $17 million with all the commercials and stuff.

But even more important, and I agree with DailyKos blogger 3WaveRider, is the term "Public Option" does not appear in my email from Biden! President Obama and Vice President Biden should know that the American public - minus the birthers and couch potato conservatives - backs a public option in yesterday's Washington Post / ABC NEWS poll. A clear majority of 57 percent back a public option.

Why not mention it in the email to me?

Well, it's because Obama's aides are now saying not having a public option is not a deal breaker, according to the Boston Globe. But that's also a signal that some conservative Democrats are still standing in the way of a public option, even with the good poll numbers.

Frankly, I really want the Public Option in there, so let's see how many Conservative Dems we can turn in the next few days.

Well, here's the email:

from Joe Biden
reply-to info@barackobama.com
to Zenophon Abraham
date Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 11:49 AM
subject The fight

Zenophon --

We've got a fight on our hands. Powerful insurance companies are pulling out all the stops to defeat the President's plan for health reform. They're spending seven million bucks a week on lobbyists, blanketing the country with deceptive TV ads, and just funded two high-profile "reports" to distort what reform would mean for you.

I know their game. I was in the Senate the last time health reform came around, and I saw the special interests savage our efforts. Frankly, under the old rules of Washington they were nearly impossible to beat. But now, thanks to you, the rules are changing. All the lies, scare tactics and lobbyist shake-downs in the world are no match for the incredible work of Organizing for America supporters like you. That's exactly what frightens them so much -- and it's what Barack and I are counting on.

After decades of false starts, we're now just a short time from finally passing real reform. Every member of Congress will soon have to cast their vote. As real change draws near, you can bet the insurance companies will hold nothing back. That means OFA will need the extra resources to beat back whatever attack they can dream up next. Here's the bottom line: it's not time to let up -- it's time to double down.

When I talk about you changing the rules in Washington, here's what I mean: This week, crucial negotiations on Capitol Hill are shaping a comprehensive reform proposal. At the same time, the insurance companies' phony reports are grabbing headlines and their lobbyists are twisting arms. But your work is keeping them from setting us back.

On Tuesday, OFA supporters around the country organized more than 1,000 local outreach events and generated an astounding 330,000 calls to Congress from constituents telling their representatives that "it's time to deliver." From my years in Congress and my conversations with Senate colleagues this week, I can tell you with confidence that your message broke through and you helped keep us on track.

If this fight were only about guaranteeing the choice of secure, quality, affordable care for every American, it would be worth everything we could throw at it. But as Barack reminded us this week, this fight for change is now about something even bigger: a test of whether or not "we as a nation are capable of tackling our toughest challenges, if we can serve the national interest despite the unrelenting efforts of the special interests; if we can still do big things in America."

I believe we can. And Barack believes we can. But what really matters is whether you believe we can. If you do, now is the moment to make it happen.

Yes we can! Especially with a public option!