Politics | Harry Reid Reid Goes for Broke With Public Option Bill Senate majority leader banks on 60 votes, infuriates Baucus By Jason Farago Posted Oct 23, 2009 7:46 AM CDT Copied Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, with Vice President Joe Biden, right, speaks at the University of Nevada in Reno, Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Scott Sady) Harry Reid is preparing to bring a health reform bill that includes a public option to the floor of the Senate, gambling that his 60-member caucus will support the plan if it contains opt-out measures for individual states. The majority leader and other senators met with Barack Obama yesterday to discuss strategy, although the president did not explicitly endorse the approach. Polls show a clear majority supports a public option, and Nancy Pelosi is bringing a bill containing one through the House. New York's Chuck Schumer and other liberal senators have been pushing for a public option in the first bill; as one Democrat said, "It's better to show some fight." But some moderates—including Democrats Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu, as well as Maine's two Republicans—are reluctant to vote for a public option bill even if it includes opt-outs. Reid is now working with Max Baucus on a final bill, but ABC's Jonathan Karl reports the Montana senator "went to Defcon 1" when informed of the plan. Read These Next Doctor left her Alaskan cruise and never returned. Actor Michael Madsen is dead at 67. Extremely rare bat-borne virus claims a human life. Police shot a bank robber as a drone delivered some Faygo Red Pop. Report an error