After a week of mostly bad news for the Obama administration, First Read notes "advocates for a public/government option got some good news on Sunday, when the aforementioned CBS/NYT poll showed 72% backing a government-administered health insurance plan, mirroring what our recent NBC/WSJ poll found."
A big caveat: "One thing to keep in mind on health care polling is that you can always get a result to back up your position on the overall issue. Of course no one wants their taxes increased; of course no one wants to see the best parts of their health insurance changed. So what's the right answer? As one Republican aide put it in an email over the weekend: Everyone likes ice cream, but not everyone likes rum-raisin ice cream. So it's figuring out the flavor that's difficult. One thing adding to the pressure for Democrats is history and the need to show the country a change. A public/government option may be the only way voters touch and feel "change" in health care."
Meanwhile, the Washington Post has more good news for the White House: "After weeks of secret talks, the pharmaceutical industry trade group voted Friday to dedicate $80 billion to lowering the price of medicines sold to seniors and the government. The unusual offer by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is part of its effort to convince skeptical lawmakers that it backs major health-care legislation."
If Obama has any hope of pulling off major health care reform, Politico says the next month is critical and lists the "five things supporters say he needs to do -- and fast -- to make it happen."
Nate Silver: "Health care is one of those areas where both popular opinion and sound public policy seem to take a backseat to protecting those stakeholders who benefit from the status quo. But can we actually see -- statistically -- the impact of lobbying by the insurance industry on the prospects for health care reform? I believe that the answer is yes."
