White House: Public Option or Better?

At today’s White House briefing, there were several familiar exchanges about the public health insurance option.  Jake Tapper asked Robert Gibbs which was more important, a bipartisan bill, or one that includes a public option.  Gibbs told Tapper that he didn’t want to “play the box game”.  He did say that the White House considers “choice and competition” more important than getting a bipartisan bill.

I know we’ve been down this road before, but I took another run at clarifying the White House’s position on the public option.  Tell me if you’re hearing what I’m hearing here: (starting at the 2:30 mark)

Now, I know I said I wasn’t trying to put him in a box, and I meant it.  I guess I’m just trying to get him to describe the box.  If you add up what Gibbs told Tapper with what he told me, it sounds to me like the President is not going to sign a measure that includes something weaker than the public option.  When Tapper asked him if choice and competition could be achieved without the public option, Gibbs’ response was far from affirmative.

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