With Politico reporting that U.S. Rep Dan Lipinski will oppose health care reform unless it restricts women’s access to abortion coverage, the Campaign for Better Health Care is planning a rally tomorrow afternoon at his LaGrange office (19 W. Hillgrove, Thursday, March 11 at 4 p.m.)

Meanwhile, Huffington Post reports that two more Senators are backing  a public option, putting the total publicly committed at 38, and likely votes up into the 40s (51 votes are needed under budget reconciliation).  “With a push from the White House, the public option is now within striking distance.”

But President Obama has been backing off support for a public option ever since he won the 2008 election by campaigning for one.

He also campaigned on reducing lobbyist influence.  But it was shortly after that election that the basic parameters of the ultimate deal – coverage for preexisting conditions in exchange for a heavily-subsidized individual mandate; and, of course, no public option – were spelled out by an insurance industry lobbyist.  (Indeed, this has been the insurance industry’s program for many years.)

And somehow — though the House bill with a public option would do lots more to control costs, and be more popular to boot — that’s what’s on the table.