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 WASHINGTON (AP) - After agreeing tentatively to jettison a key liberal priority — a full-blown government-run insurance option — Senate Democrats woke up Wednesday to find that the fragile coalition backing President Barack Obama's health care bill is still together.
A leading liberal — former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean — and a much-courted moderate — Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman — both signaled they might be able to live with a compromise to offer private insurance plans under the auspices of the federal employee health program, while also allowing middle-aged people to buy into Medicare.
"I am encourged by the progress toward a consensus," Lieberman said in a statement issued by his office, which also underscored his opposition to a new government insurance plan that would compete with private carriers.
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