Sestak holding out hope for public option

Congressman Joe Sestak says he’s hoping a conference committee will reinstate a government health care plan, though most observers think that’s unlikely.

Arlen Specter’s primary challenger says he’s put off by the way the Senate’s health care bill was negotiated this weekend. Democrat Joe Sestak also says he’s still holding out hope for a public health insurance option.

The objections of more conservative senators, like Connecticut’s Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson of Nebraska, killed the prospects of a public option in a bill the Senate will likely vote on this week. Congressman Joe Sestak says he’s hoping a conference committee will reinstate a government health care plan, though most observers think that’s unlikely.

Sestak says he’s angry about the conditions Nelson set before he committed to the bill, which included stricter anti-abortion language, and increased federal funding for Nebraska. He says that hurts the process.

Sestak: Because they wait for the deal at the very end and then decide which way to go and effect one small change. But that small change harms us overall, and frankly, that’s why I disagree with Arlen Specter.

Specter has made a career out of holding off on support for bills until he can gain benefits for pet causes. He voted for the stimulus package after substantially increasing its contribution to the National Institutes of Health.

Specter holds a twenty three point lead over Sestak, according to the most recent Quinnipiac University poll.