MSNBC "The Ed Show" Interview With Representative Frank Pallone - Transcript

Interview

MR. SCHULTZ: Democrats in the House have released an outline of their health care reform bill. The plan includes -- it includes, to their credit, a very strong public option.

One of the few authors of that bill is Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey. The congressman is the chairman of the Health Subcommittee, and he joins us tonight here on "The Ed Show."

Congressman, it appears now that the House is going to be the savior for a public option if we're going to get one. How do you read it?

REP. PALLONE: I think we will have a public option. And I think it's very important if you want to keep costs down, because the competition between the public and the private insurance plans is the main way to reduce costs.

MR. SCHULTZ: Well, what do you make of the White House? They seem to be -- you know, you've got Lindsey Graham over there answering the direct question from David Gregory on "Meet the Press" yesterday, saying no. But I don't get that same kind of talk from the White House. And the American people are starting to wonder, "What's going on here?" Are they giving up the fight on this?

REP. PALLONE: I don't think so. I think the president has always tried to say, "Look, all options are on the table." And so we're going to continue to hear that. But the public is overwhelmingly in support of a public option, again, mainly to have that competition that keeps costs down.

MR. SCHULTZ: Well, here's what I'm talking about. There's two sets of thought here. Here's how the Republicans are attacking the issue. Here's Graham responding.

(Begin videotaped segment.)

DAVID GREGORY (NBC "Meet the Press" host): Will the president achieve health care reform this year that includes a public plan?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): No.

(End videotaped segment.)

MR. SCHULTZ: Why doesn't David Axelrod come out and say, "Oh, yes, we will, because we've got 72 percent of the American people who want it"?

REP. PALLONE: They're still trying to, you know, show that all options are out there, that they want to work with the Republicans.

MR. SCHULTZ: Oh --

REP. PALLONE: You know, that's what I think it's all about, trying to be bipartisan. But I agree with you that if we don't have the public option, it's going to be difficult to actually, you know, keep costs down, which is a major part of this effort. So I think the president is supportive of the public plan, and ultimately that option or choice will be part of what we adopt.

MR. SCHULTZ: Okay, Congressman Pallone, do you think the White House is being strong enough on this? I mean, there's all these niceties being thrown out there. When are we going to start drawing our line in the sand to make sure that we do get this, because this is what the American people want? You've got Dianne Feinstein over there basically saying, "Ah, I don't care what the public wants." I mean, they're caving in on this.

REP. PALLONE: Well, you know, I don't know the intricacies of the Senate, but I think the fear is that if you rule out anything, then you make it more difficult to come to agreement or consensus. So I think they just, you know, say, "Look, everything's on the table."

But ultimately I think you will have a public option. And it certainly makes sense, because you need that competition in the marketplace to reduce costs significantly. And we have to reduce costs. That's a major part of this. You know, it's not just covering the uninsured, which we're going to do, and that's important, but also for those people that have insurance, that we can reduce their premiums.

MR. SCHULTZ: Congressman, good to have you with us tonight. Thanks for working on this and thanks for being here. Frank Pallone with us here on "The Ed Show."

REP. PALLONE: Thank you.

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