Unplugged: Sen. Merkley Wants "Single" Health Bill

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) expressed remorse on "Washington Unplugged" today that there was not just one health care legislation to tout to constituents during the summer recess.

"Yes it would be good to have a single product to bounce off of our constituents and the vaccuum is a little bit of an opportunity for folks to mischaracterize the bill and then attack it. I certainly saw that in my town halls when I went home," the freshman senator admitted.

"I just had four town halls this weekend and indeed I had some wild moments," he said. "Folks are very organized."

When host Nancy Cordes, CBS News' Capitol Hill correspondent, asked if the critics at his events acted "respectfully," Merkley joked, "on the margin."

The senator said he "enjoy[s]" that people care enough about health care legislation to come out. "I am hearing it from both" conservatives and liberals.

"We are so much closer to fundemental health care reform than this body has been in a generation," he boasted, echoing statements made by the president and the Democratic leadership.

You can watch the full interview above, along with the rest of the show which also includes an feature on ADD HER NAME AND TITLE. For past "Washington Unplugged" episodes, click here.