Tom Daschle, health care hero?

Tom Daschle, incoming secretary of health and human services:

"“When health care reform collapsed in 1994,” Mr. Daschle said, “I remember all the criticisms people had after the fact. They said it took too long, they said the process was too opaque, they said the plan was too hard to understand and they said the changes felt too dramatic.""

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/us/politics/09daschle.html?_r=1

Didn't they also say that the senate Democratic leadership - - Tom Daschle, Ted Kennedy, etc. - - were too weak to get the reform plan through the Senate?