“The Congressional Budget Office came out with a score on Senator Kennedy’s bill, just part of his bill that says [it] would cost over a trillion dollars, and would cost 23 million Americans to lose their private health care coverage, and only 16 million of which would be covered under the government plan.  So it’s not just me and others, it’s very clear that the so-called public option would be subsidized by the government, it would draw people out of the private sector, it would cause companies to just give up their coverage and force people into a government-run plan.  That’s not what we want.  What we want is we want to work with the President to make sure that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable health insurance.”

“I think the situation there is very serious, and I think it’s a real opportunity for President Obama to really make a strong statement and take a strong stand with regard to what the leadership over there is doing.  It’s pretty clear they’ve had serious election difficulties.  The people in Iran believe in democracy, they believe in the rule of law, and I think they believe this election has been stolen… I think the President, who’s said he wants dialogue, I think he has an opportunity to say we’re not going to have any dialogue if this is the way you’re going to treat your people.  And so he has the opportunity to make a very strong statement.”

“I just met with the President of South Korea, and I mentioned to him that I’ve been in Congress now for 18 1/2 years. Over that time, every agreement that the North Koreans have made they have ignored. All they have done is come to the table, agreed to do what they agreed to do ten years ago, we give them food, we give them fuel oil, and then they continue to not do what they’ve agreed to do.  I think it’s time to take a stance… Well, I think that making sure that these ships do not proceed would be the right order.  I’m not sure that boarding these ships is the right move, but we can impede their progress and make sure they’re not delivering nuclear weapons or parts to nuclear weapons to other countries around the world.  You know, it’s North Korea that we believe and others believe, that were building in nuclear facility in Syria.  They’re spreading the use of this technology and we should do all that we can to prevent it.”