Murphy: Dems Focused More on Obamacare Than Single-Payer Plan

The Democratic Party is focusing more on defending Obamacare than it is on a pivot to single-payer healthcare, Sen. Chris Murphy said Friday, denying suggestions that the party is moving toward such plans.

Further, he told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program, he doesn't think a CNN debate Monday involving Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, an avid supporter of one-payer healthcare; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy R-La., whose reform bill will come up for a vote next week, will involve much discussion on single-payer care.

"I actually don’t think that Bernie Sanders is going to be talking about single-payer health care Monday night," Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, said. "I think he’s going to be talking about why Graham-Cassidy is such an immediate threat to the country."

Murphy said he believes Democrats should come together, though, to defeat the plan, which would give states healthcare funds while repealing Obamacare mandates.

"I think we have got to be out there as a Democratic Party, continuing to explain what this bill does, and that includes Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar," Murphy said.

Murphy also discussed the growing tensions between the United States and North Korea, and the tough talk between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

"I've got a 9-year-old and a 5-year-old and the back and forth sounds familiar to me," Murphy said. "It's really dangerous for two reasons. One, this over the top tough talk from Donald Trump, frankly, just convinces the North Korean regime they have to move faster to be able to protect themselves."

Murphy said there also is nothing to him that makes sense about Trump's strategy.

"This shutdown of he's telegraphed leaves us no off-ramp from the tough talk," the senator said. "This is a disaster from beginning to end. This is the one place where the congress doesn't really have checks and balances."

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