On the Sunday shows this week, a rare sit-down with Mitt Romney.
ROMNEY: "This is at the heart of the president's deception and dishonesty with regards to Obamacare."
And Rand Paul wants punishment for the NSA official who denied the existence of mass spying programs.
PAUL: "James Clapper, in lying to Congress, really seriously destroyed the credibility of our intelligence agencies."
For National Journal, I'm Zach Toombs. On "Fox News Sunday," Mitt Romney refused to speculate on how the election might have turned out differently if voters knew then what they know now about health care reform. But he did take the opportunity to criticize the president and his infamous promise that if you like your health insurance, you can keep it.
"That was not honest. That was deceptive. The American people recognize that and they're rejecting Obamacare."
While on NBC's "Meet the Press," White House adviser Gene Sperling said there's not enough attention paid to what the reform program has accomplished.
"Six million Americans who now have coverage. 3 million young people who are on their parents' coverage. ... This is the first week ever where women cannot be discriminated against on their health care just because they're women."
And as Democrats try to rally bipartisan support to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed, at least one Republican is voicing support. But Gov. Scott Walker also says there should be no extension without some kind of reform.
WALKER: "Whether it's unemployment compensation or food stamps or other benefits, we should require employment training so that people are ready with their skills, they've got their gear on and their ready. So, when a job opens up, and it will, they're ready to get that job." (Via CNN)
Turning to Edward Snowden and his national surveillance leaks, Republican Sen. Rand Paul noted, yes, the whistleblower broke the law but so did James Clapper, the NSA director who lied to Congress about the existence of spying programs. (Via The Guardian, Independent Journal Review)
PAUL: "James Clapper did break the law, and there is a prison sentence for that. So did Edward Snowden. ... Maybe if they served in a prison cell together, we'd be more enlightened as a country as to what we should and shouldn't do." (Via ABC)
