Sanders: Deal 'May Be Stronger Than The Very Weak Public Options'

Public option supporter Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said last night that the Senate deal may be stronger than the watered-down public options passed by the House and considered by the Senate.

"I think it is not fair to simply say they're abandoning the public option," he told Rachel Maddow. "What you're looking at is trade-offs, which in fact at the end of the day may be stronger than the very weak public options that both the House and the Senate have already passed."

Sanders has been a staunch supporter of the public option throughout the health care debate and has said he'd be "very reluctant" to vote for a bill without one.

Other public option supporters, including Rep. Anthony Weiner and former DNC chair Howard Dean, have praised the deal, especially the Medicare buy-in.

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