Didn’t Madam Speaker tell us this six weeks ago, shortly before the plug was pulled?

I’m skeptical.

The president told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that it is important for them to pass health care reform bills soon, the sources said.

Both leaders told the president that despite the difficult rough and tumble of the legislative process in the last few weeks, they are optimistic that both the House and Senate can pass health care reform legislation.

So they had a private meeting, on the eve of Obama’s big speech, at which no one really knows what was said … and came out afterwards preaching victory? Quite a bombshell. One minor detail that’s omitted: Which proposals, precisely, do they have enough votes to pass? The public option? A “trigger” for the public option? Health-care co-ops? A mandate to buy coverage? The One might have lowered his demands to the point where only the barest bones reform plan is still on the table; assuming that they do have the votes, the fact that he wants something passed immediately only proves how fragile the coalition must be. Indeed, one of the top Blue Dogs called the public option a “dealbreaker” yesterday — right around the same time that lefty Obama supporters were threatening to abandon The One entirely if he doesn’t cram the public option down America’s throat.

I think this is a bluff, but it’s serious enough that now might be a good time to phone your representatives. Exit question: Is The One going to turn it all around tomorrow night? Hmmmmm.

Update: Is even the RINO-iest RINO having second thoughts?

I met with the Senator personally during the August recess back here in Maine when she spoke with dozens of Maine folks in a series of health care talks throughout the state. Here is what I learned: She is worried about costs and the impact on the deficit, the public option plan is “off the table”, she wants more private insurance companies in Maine (we have 3), and she doesn’t support higher taxes – especially during a recession.

Those concerns and opinions were not from “unnamed sources,” they were straight from Senator Snowe…

So, my suggestion to the White House: put away your shovels, there is no Snowe in the forecast.