As Gregg noted yesterday, Mara Liasson actually dared speak an inconvenient truth that the TradMedders don’t often say — namely, that opposing the public option is what will hurt Dems next year. Case in point: Harry Reid, who has been wishy-washy at best on the PO, is now in deep trouble for 2010 — and in a state whose residents strongly favor a public option.

Ahhh, Labor Day weekend. Time to kick back, relax, and enjoy whatever it is we all enjoy together or separately. How many folks out there are planning a picnic, BBQ, meal for family and friends or football watching weekend snackfest extravaganza?

Featuring Lambchop and Delroy Wilson.

Laaaaaaaaadies and gentleman! Late night at Firedoglake, in association with Elephants on Parade, is proud to present a knock-down, dragged out. . . and out. . . fight for the undisputed title of defender of the public interest and leader of the US Senate’s Democratic majority!

So Obama wants to address America’s schoolkids next week, and the batshit has hit the fan. Media Matters has a fantastic roundup of conservative crazies screaming that he wants to indoctrinate America’s children into his Communist Hitler Youth so all concerned parents should keep their children home so they don’t get Teh Brainwashed by his seductive liberal wiles. Or something.

On the core issue whether the White House is moving the health reform bill towards something that’s worse than doing nothing, then it looks like Ezra Klein is starting to see things the way Jane Hamsher does.

Apparently bored already with the current occupant, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen of Politico cast a wistful eye this morning at what Republicans might try to take back the White House in 2012: Joe Scarborough?? David Petraeus?? Dick Cheney?? Or…

Kid Oakland makes an observation: In my view, the most powerful way to bring progressive pressure on any legislator is to identify an elected official overlapping their district who shares our progressive views. Even if your Congressperson is a staunch progressive, we should always be on the watch to identify and share young, promising leaders emerging in our districts.

Those that want a trigger for the public health insurance option are saying, “Let’s give the insurance industry one more chance to clean up its act.” We’ve been there and done that, fifteen years ago.

Obama doesn’t want you to see that majorities of the country support a public option.