DeMint: ObamaCare Focus Endangers U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

ABC News’ David Chalian Reports: The Republican Senator who made headlines by declaring President Obama’s battle for health care reform his “Waterloo,” suggested today that the president’s quest for health care reform may be putting American troops at risk.
 
“The problem is the war in Afghanistan and our economy are our two biggest issues but he’s working on other issues such as healthcare and he’s putting off the decision on Afghanistan which I think puts our troops at risk,” Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) said on ABC News’ “Top Line.” “So he needs to focus on priorities right now and not try to ram so many things down our throat here in Congress. He needs to address the issue of Afghanistan quickly,” he added to his advice for President Obama. Sen. DeMint applauded the president’s challenge to the world community, delivered at the United Nations today, to join the United States in its efforts to resolve the Iranian and North Korean nuclear crises.  However, the South Carolinian charged President Obama with taking a weak stance on missile defense which he believes complicates getting international partners to join the United States in other efforts. “I just hope the president will understand the only way to make this happen is for America to continue to be strong.  We’re not going to get the cooperation by weakening ourselves such as he’s done with our missile defense system,” said DeMint. On healthcare, Sen. DeMint said that his Republican colleague Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the Obama administration’s targeted GOP vote, is “holding strong” thus far by continuing to seek a better reform package in the Senate Finance Committee. “Right now, the bill is words and promises. We don’t really have legislation and so I don’t think Senator Snowe is going to give in to this naïve idea that we can go with these promises, get a bill out of the senate, and it’s going to remain in some form that she could support,” DeMint said when asked to assess the chances that the Mainer might jump ship and join the Democrats in the end. Sen. DeMint also weighed in on the 2010 midterm elections where he refused to rule out supporting the moderate Republican Carly Fiorina in California despite his backing the conservative Marco Rubio over the moderate and GOP establishment favorite Charlie Crist in Florida. Watch our entire interview with Sen. Jim DeMint HERE: We also chatted with Ana Marie Cox of Air America Radio about President Obama’s Afghanistan dilemma and Sarah Palin’s international speaking debut in China this week. Watch our entire interview with Ana Marie Cox HERE: