Baucus on Health Care Reform: Kennedy's Spirit Even Stronger

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), the lead Democratic negotiator on the Senate Finance Committee, said today that the spirit of the late Ted Kennedy will be "even stronger" when it comes to health care reform.

"Ironically, I think that the spirit and the passion of Ted is going to be even stronger now," he said.

When asked by MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell if the committee will meet a Sept. 15 deadline set by the White House, he said, "Well, we'll see."

"How we'll pass health reform and what precise date, we'll work that out on the next week or so," he said, but today it's "best for all of us to just remember Ted."

"I've never known a more effective legislator," Baucus said. "He was so passionate and worked so hard ... then he would sit down and work out the compromise."