Here’s vulgar, fecal replicant Joe Lieberman on this week’s CBS Sunday morning program. It does not take him long to make a unequivocally illogical and terrible argument while patronizing the dirty hippies. He does not understand how the public option has become a “litmus test” for the left, when there are so many other good things in the bill… which is why the inclusion of a public option has become an ironclad “litmus test” for him to vote against it? He then invokes the Hippocratic Oath, like a dick. [Think Progress]

If you’re interested in health care reform, and only have time today to get really really pissed off at one Congressional development, check out this bit of “Joementum” sweeping through the news: “Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told reporters today that he would in fact filibuster any health care bill he doesn’t agree with–and right now, he doesn’t agree with the public option proposal making its way through the Senate.” THINKING VERY VIOLENT THOUGHTS. MORE »

• Maurice R. Greenberg, the impossibly geriatric former head of AIG, has been quietly luring young, unsuspecting insurance execs to his new firm. [New York Times]
• Harry Reid promised out loud that the new health care bill will have a public option, which means it actually might! [Washington Post]
• Like half an hour ago, NASA sent the the largest rocket ever (327 ft.) into space. The moon was unharmed. [CNN]
• Starting nowish, a Senate committee will meet for the next three days in order to figure out some tenable clean energy initiatives. It’s bipartisan, because look: Lamar Alexander! [Reuters]
• Over the last three days, 700 adults were arrested in sweeping sex-with-children raids that spanned 36 cities. [Los Angeles Times]
• The Somali pirates not only continue to exist if everyone pretty much ignores them, they also apparently continue to kidnap British people. [Times Online]

We’ve decided to post Harry Reid’s very lively health care announcement for perfunctory “news update” purposes only. But but but! If the Google Ad cycle is feeling generous, there’s a good chance you’ll be forced to watch an amazing ad from “1-800-FIREMAN,” at the beginning. No promises. [YouTube, Washington Monthly]

• HARRY REID TO GIVE MERGED SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL DETAILS AT 3:15: Ooh, Harry Reid is going to announce the particulars of his merged Senate health care bill in a press conference at 3:15! Supposedly it will include a public option with an opt-out plan for states (”modest boondoggle”), which is good, considering the alternative would a trigger (”massive, tragicomic boondoggle”). But one can never be sure with Harry Reid! We’re putting our money on the announcement of no health care reform whatsoever, just a 75% cap gains tax cut. [Greg Sargent/The Plum Line]

• Unpopular elected official Harry Reid is just all about including the public option on the new health care bill. [New York Times]
• John Kerry is so busy and fulfilled chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he totally doesn’t even have time to think about 2004. [Washington Post]
• A team of pilots flying a commercial airliner overshot their destination, the Minneapolis airport, by 150 miles yesterday. The FAA first blamed terrorism but is now blaming sleep, the terrorism of trying to stay awake at work. [CNN]
• Legislation stating that violence against gay people is, legally-speaking, a hate crime is THISCLOSE to becoming law. All Obama has to do is sign the dotted line, which he will. [Los Angeles Times]
• Barry is trying to convince Iran to fulfill all its uranium enrichment needs overseas somewhere. Iran is trying to cultivate an arsenal of nuclear weapons. These things may be mutually exclusive! [AP]
• Britain is still in the midst of its own recession. Ehh, and everyone though the third quarter was going to be the turnaround one for the economy over there. Alas. [Reuters]

• MARY LANDRIEU! OH COME ON MARY: “Opining on the polls showing support for public option, she said it was all about the phrasing of the question. ‘I think if you asked, “Do you want a public option but it would force the government to go bankrupt,” people would say “No,”‘ she said.” ITTTT SAVVVVVVES MUNNNNNIIIIIEEEEEEE. IIIIINNNN THHHHHEEEE CCCCBBBOOOO REEEEPPPOOORRRTTTT. Anyway, it looks like they’re throwing in an opt-out public option, which her dumb state can reject eventually if the local “Real Americans” (racists) deem it so. [TPM, TPM]

Sen. Mary Landrieu, a terrible person: “I think when people hear ‘public option’ they hear ‘free health care.’ Everybody wants free health care. Everybody wants health care they don’t have to pay for. The problem is, is that we in governments and business have to pick up the tab and as individuals. So I’m not at all surprised that the public option’s been sold as free health care. But there is no free lunch.” GOODNESS. MORE »

• After being prodded by basically everyone on Earth, soon-to-be-former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai is ready to admit that he did not actually win the re-election. [New York Times]
• A new poll says that most people think the public option would be a good thing, actually. [Washington Post]
• Swine flu has spread to this one actual swine in Minnesota. It’s hard to feel bad given how appropriate this seems! [WSJ]
• A US scientist was arrested for trying to sell important secrets to someone he thought was an Israeli intelligence guy, but was actually just an American intelligence guy about to arrest him. [CNN]
• Iran is two seconds away from doing something it might possibly regret to Pakistan—possibly bombing it, or possibly explicitly threatening it with bombs. [AP]
• Apple, Inc. shares are the highest they’ve ever been. There are still no available Genius Bar appointments. [Reuters]

THE MOST CHILLING WORDS ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM YET: It’s amazing how very vague statements about public policy can ring with such an apocalyptic edge when uttered by Harry Reid: “Remember, a public option is a relative term.” OH GOD there’s not going to be any health care reform at all! Please stop talking! “There’s a public option, there’s a public option, and there’s a public option. And we’re going to look at each of them.” Go back to your junkyard desert, Sadness Monster! [Politico]

Our dear friends in the Senate Finance Committee have voted down the Schumer/Cantwell “less cool but still cool” public option amendment as well, 13-10 (Dems voting no: Baucus, Conrad, Lincoln), so there will officially (we think?) not be a public option in the Senate Finance Committee bill. SURPRISE. MORE »