Emanuel Doesn't Mind GOP's Politics On Health Care

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) became the face of "the party of no" to Democrats this week when President Obama called him out for professing that a defeat of health care reform would "break" the new president; Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) made lesser news by proclaiming that blocking health reform would mean a "huge gain" for Republicans in 2010. The narrative for the White House, as August recess approaches, is that Republicans are more interested in their own political gains than in fixing the nation's health care system, thereby fighting to preserve a status quo that's unsustainable and is harming people every day.

That narrative aside, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel doesn't mind the comments of DeMint and Inhofe--so he told NPR this morning.



"I'm okay with politics as you well know," Emanuel said.

"I actually appreciate what Sen. DeMint said and Sen. Inhofe. I'm different that everybody--I'm not gonna criticize them. I compliment them. They're honest," Emanuel said.

"They're being honest about what they see the stakes," Emanuel said. "And what I find interesting is I haven't heard a lot of people in their party criticize them."