RS: You were also a top advocate for the public option. What do you make of Kucinich’s threatened ‘No’ vote?
AW: It’s folly. Nobody has compromised more than I have. I kid that I’ve compromised my compromised compromise at this point. I started out a similar place that Dennis is. I think single payer is the way to go. (In the current bill), we’ve doubled down on an employer-based system that is not necessarily good. But it’s inarguable that this bill would be better than the status quo.

But there are some people who don’t legislate that way. They think that if there’s anything offensive or problematic in a bill, I’ll vote no on it. Those people are not very good representatives.

...

RS: Is the fact that Democrats are again talking about legislative process — rather than the benefits of the bill — a big unforced error in this crucial final week?
AW: I’ll just say this. The other day, I’m in a market by my house. An old woman grabs me in the aisle and says ‘pass the bill by reconciliation.’ My view is when my constituents are saying the word ‘reconciliation’ to me rather than ‘cut my taxes’ or ‘provide me healthcare,’ I know that our message is fucked. You know?