It's not the public option that's in trouble, it's the whole darn health care reform. And super communicator Obama if blowing the message wars:

He says "He said opponents of healthcare reform "warn that this is all some big plot for socialized medicine, or government-run health care with long lines and rationed care. That's not true either." "I don't believe that government can or should run health care"

Error no. 1: don't repeat your opponent's message.
Error no. 2: he has no compellign urgent message of his own. Preventing premium increases in decades to come isn't compelling right now.
Error no. 3: don't reinforce your opponents' overall long time frame -- by saying government shouldn't or can't run health care.
Error no. 4: don't be a flip flopper. He used to say he was for single payer. Then he said we have to settle for what we can get. Now, he's blasting single payer as inherently bad.
Error no. 5: don't lie. Any health care system has rationing and denying this is a LIE. Government health care is rationing which is great because that way everybody gets some and everyone shares in the cost and we do limit what everyone gets for the greater good (cost containment).

Ironic, isn't it? His lovers adored him for not being Clintonian, now he's a desperate triangulator begging for GOP and moderate favor. The pattern of first supporting single payer earlier in his career, then saying settle for what we get, then saying single payer is bad, mirrors how he morphed on DOMA. He's officially become the right wing spokesperson if he's going to go around saying single payer government run systems are bad, just like he's officially become a homophobe if he's going to go around signing law briefs comparing gayness to incest and other vile and disgusting things to which even the full faith and credit clause does not apply.

Gay sex vile; government run health care vile; this guy is now our right wing leader.

Pls. make a note of it.