From today's White House press briefing:
Q Would he rather have had a public option --
MR. GIBBS: You know, you ask me if the President would rather have won the lottery. It's an interesting hypothetical that --
Q We do hypotheticals now -- (laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: He'd disagree with you on that.
Q It's not hypothetical, it's in the House bill. I mean, does he support that --
MR. GIBBS: We're making progress. The President supports this process in terms of both good policy and as a way of moving that process forward.
Q To follow, now that the Democratic senators have reached this compromise on the public option, does the President feel that he did everything he could to push specifically for a public option --
MR. GIBBS: Yes.
Q -- especially since that was his preferred measure of choice and competition?
MR. GIBBS: Yes. And he's continued to meet with senators in order to make progress. Absolutely.
