CEDAR RAPIDS -- If President Barack Obama didn't endorse a strong public option as part of health care reform, Sen. Tom Harkin missed it.

"I was heartened by his strong support for a public option," Harkin said Thursday in a morning-after analysis, adding he believes Congress is in a strong position to pass health care reform before Christmas.

"I didn't hear equivocation," Harkin said, going on to say Obama seemed to be saying that the public option -- a government-run alternative to private insurance -- is one part of reforming the way health-care is delivered and members of Congress shouldn't reject the whole package because of one element.

"I hope what he was saying by that was, 'Don't just vote against it because that's one part. Look at all the other parts. Look at everything else we're doing in health care reform. And see if that doesn't outweigh any of your problems or concerns you have about a public option,'" Harkin said.

For his part, Harkin, who has taken the reins of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee following the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, plans to continue to push for a public option that would offer an alternative to the uninsured and those with employer-based coverage costing more than 12.5 percent of their annual income.

Although many in Congress have called a public option a deal-breaker for them, Harkin questioned that.

"How do we know? We haven't had a vote," he said.

A bill without a public option might be marginally better than the status quo, Harkin said, but would not address "runaway profits by the insurance companies to the detriments of our families � A public option has to be a part of this bill."

He'd like to see a bill brought to the floor that says insurance companies cannot deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions or drop people who get ill, must guarantee renewal of policies except for nonpayment of premiums, must provide free coverage of mammograms, colonoscopies and other preventive checkups with no co-pays, no deductibles and can't put lifetime caps on benefits and offers a public option.

"Do you mean people will say, 'I like all of those things, but I will vote against it because of the public option?' I don't think so," Harkin said.

Later Thursday, Harkin paid tribute to Kennedy and urged his colleagues to complete his work on health care reform.

"May Ted Kennedy rest in peace," Harkin said. "But may we not rest until we have completed the cause of his life -- the cause he fought for until his last breath: ensuring quality, affordable health care for every American."