Getting around Harry Reid

The fact that the Schumer amendment picked up two Democratic votes should be a reassuring sign for supporters of a “public option” — a government-run insurance plan — even though liberals view the Schumer amendment as a weaker version than the Rockefeller proposal. But Tuesday afternoon’s votes highlight the tough fight ahead with conservative Democrats like Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, who held out against the Schumer proposal.

The question now is whether the support shown today by at least some Democrats for the public option will be enough to persuade Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, to include it when he reconciles the Finance Committee bill with one from the more liberal health committee — which does include a public option. ... New York Times