Burris: No compromise on health care having public option

Sen. Roland Burris told a cheering crowd of medical students and others at Cook County Hospital today that he will not compromise on his demand that any health care plan have a public option.

"Now is not the time to back down. Now is the time to act with conviction," Burris said.

Burris said that Senate President Harry Reid's proposal to let states opt out of the public option does not represent the "strong public option" Burris insists on.

Does that mean Burris would vote against it?

Burris would not give a firm "yes" to that question.

"I will not vote for any reform legislation that fails to include a strong public option. I will not vote for it. I hope you all will back me up on that," Burris said to applause and shouts of support. "We don't want to come up with some half-measures that are not going to change the system."

Burris said he has had "no pressure" from the White House or from Reid to soften his hard line. Obama has not even spoken to him. In his conversations with Reid, Burris has made his position clear and Reid has told him he respects it, Burris said.

Since Burris' controversial appointment by indicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich earlier this year, this has been the first major issue on which Burris has attracted the attention of the national media and some of his colleagues.

Burris declined to make an endorsement among the Democrats running for his seat. Burris noted that today is the last day for candidates to file and he would take a look after that. Burris declined to run for the seat and noted Monday that he is still $800,000 in debt.