Ari Fleischer: Can GOP 'Only Oppose and Not Govern?'

Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said that Friday's no vote on the American Health Care Act raised questions of whether Republicans "can only oppose and not govern."

Fleischer, who served former President George W. Bush, took to Twitter after President Donald Trump told House Speaker Paul Ryan to pull the legislation because of strong opposition by various party factions:

The failure of the House to repeal & replace Obamacare, a fundamental promise, raises Qs about whether GOP can only oppose, but not govern.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 24, 2017

Ds were smart/patient, taking 40 yrs to build welfare state. Rs can't take it down overnight, but this bill would have been a good start.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 24, 2017

Both Trump and Ryan acknowledged lacking the necessary 216 votes to pass the plan to repeal and replace Obamacare — and the president also slammed Democrats for not backing the legislation.