By Pat Doyle Al Franken, who takes plenty of heat from conservatives, is taking some pokes from a liberal group that suggests he lacks fire-in-the-belly to fight strongly for a public option to private health insurance. "Do you think Sen. Al Franken has fought strongly enough on behalf of the public option?" asked the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, in an open letter this week to its members. "And would you support pressuring him to be stronger?" Franken has spoken clearly in favor of a public option, even saying he would be willing to sign up for a government-run insurance plan. But Progressive Change fears he won't push hard enough for it during crucial final negotiations. The group, which claims to have 300,000 members, said when the Senate and House reconcile versions of health care reform, more conservative Democrats "will have all the power in negotiations unless progressive senators like Al Franken stand up now and publicly threaten to block a final bill unless it has a public option." In arguing that an aggressive approach is justified, the group cites a national poll by Research 2000 that shows 59 percent of Americans favor a public option. Franken's office did not respond immediately when asked if it had a reaction to the statement by Progressive Change.