Troubling (with Less Troubling Update)

I mostly ignore reports on who is saying what in negotiations, since these reports tend to be contradicted. But I am troubled by this latest report that the White House is pushing back against Majority Leader Reid's efforts to include a public option (with opt-out) in the Senate healthcare bill.

To me it's one thing for the White House to back a bill that comes out of the Senate but doesn't have a public option, and quite another to oppose a Senate bill that does have a public option, because (reportedly) Senator Olympia Snowe opposes it. Especially since the report also says that Reid is closing in on the 60 votes he needs to stifle a fillibuster.

I hope this report is wrong, but it is troubling.

Update: Later reporting suggests that the White House was concerned about Reid's vote count--they want something to pass the Senate, and are focused on the Conference Committee between House and Senate versions for the final outcome. On a conference call a few hours ago, President Obama said this:

" Conference is where these differences will get ironed out. And that's where my bottom lines will remain: Does this bill cover all Americans? Does it drive down costs both in the public sector and the private sector over the long-term. Does it improve quality? Does it emphasize prevention and wellness? Does it have a serious package of insurance reforms so people aren't losing health care over a preexisting condition? Does it have a serious public option in place? Those are the kind of benchmarks I'll be using. But I'm not assuming either the House and Senate bills will match up perfectly with where I want to end up. But I am going to be insisting we get something done."