Optional public option risky strategy

Senate Majority Leader Reid may not have the 60 votes needed to clear Senate procedural hurdles.

John King
CNN

It is a busy week ahead, to say the least, and perhaps a telling one in the health care debate.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is said to be close to settling on a health care bill that includes a government insurance option, but does allow states to "opt out" if they don't want to participate.

"I think we're very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward," said New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, a key Reid deputy, on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday.

Close, but not there, which makes it a risky strategy. Not only does Reid not have commitments for the 60 votes he would need to clear Senate procedural hurdles, the "opt out" approach also is unacceptable to Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, the only Republican to vote for the Senate Finance Committee's health care proposal.

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