Public option

WASHINGTON - After agreeing tentatively to jettison a key liberal priority - a full-blown government-run insurance option - Senate Democrats woke up Wednesday to find that the fragile coalition backing President Barack Obama's health care bill is still together.

WASHINGTON - After days of secret talks, Senate Democrats tentatively agreed Tuesday night to drop a full-blown government-run insurance option from sweeping health care legislation, several officials said, a concession to party moderates whose votes are critical to passage of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.