The New York Times reports that the "centrists" are celebrating that they seem to be getting their way in the healthcare reform debate, and their way means no public option.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post is pushing this same "centrist" idea. Media Matters has the story.

The Washington Post described an "emerging" bipartisan health care reform bill that would "abandon the government insurance option that President Obama is seeking" as a "move toward" the "center," but in fact, several recent polls show that a majority of Americans support a public plan option. The media have repeatedly cast the public plan option as a far-left proposal, skewing the health care debate. From the August 6 article, "Senators Closer To Health Package," bearing the subhead "Bipartisan Talks On Reform Move Toward Center": Senate negotiators are inching toward bipartisan agreement on a health-care plan that seeks middle ground on some of the thorniest issues facing Congress, offering the fragile outlines of a legislative consensus even as the political battle over reform intensifies outside Washington....

It's just a rush to the squishy middle where the Village wants us all to be, regardless of either what's good policy, or where public opinion really is. MM continues:

Most recent polls show that the majority of Americans support a public option. Recent polling from Washington Post/ABC News, Time, and McClatchy all show more than 50 percent support for a public option; two Quinnipiac polls and a New York Times/CBS News poll show more than 60 percent support; and an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows 46 percent support for a public option: Quinnipiac: 62 percent support "public option."... Washington Post/ABC News: 54 percent support a "government-run plan." ... Time: 56 percent favor a "government-sponsored" option.... NY Times/CBS News: 66 percent favor a "government administered" plan.... McClatchy: 52 percent say "it is necessary to create a public health insurance plan." ... NBC News/Wall Street Journal: 46 percent favor a plan "administered by the federal government." ...

Remind you of anything? How about polling on Iraq in September of 2005, or October, 2006? Remember when war opponents were the DFH minority? And how did the elections of 2006 and 2008 turn out?

The anti-war position was no more "leftist" than support for a public option is now.