Sen. Kent Conrad, Corporate Whore

By Steve Hynd

Senator Kent Conrad received $774,514 in campaign contributions from the Health industry in the 2008 cycle and $680,664 in the 2006 cycle.

He recently said he was "frankly not terribly interested" in what the major health care reform coalition thinks about healthcare reform.

So it's hardly surprising to hear today that he's not interested in a public option because, by his own words, the GOP don't like it.

This isn't a case of a spineless jellyfish, caving to Republicans at the slightest hint of pressure. It's simply that Conrad has been bought and sold by interests hostile to those of his constituents and the voters of his party. He's not the only one.