▼ Author Community Vote 171 days ago D ... Steve Benen LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A LETDOWN.... Sen. Kent Conrad D ... Steve Benen/Washington Monthly - Sen. Kent Conrad (D) of North Dakota told Fox News this morning that there's no point in pursuing a public option as part of health care reform. It's futile, he said, to continue to “chase that rabbit” because it doesn't have 60 votes.