Kasich on Repeal First: "Can't 'Leave People Without What They Need'

Gov. John Kasich slammed President Donald Trump's message to Congress to repeal Obamacare outright and replace it later, saying getting rid of the law will "leave people without what they need."

In an interview aired Sunday on ABC News' "This Week," The Ohio Republican said the Senate appears to be stalled on its repeal and replacement bill – but Trump's suggestion won't work either.

"I don’t know what that means," he said of repealing first and replacing later. "You can’t get rid of this, you can’t leave people without what they need."

Kasich also decried the lack of willingness in Congress to work out differences on a healthcare plan.

"Both sides have to have a willingness to achieve something and then both sides have to kind of back off and give some space to the other side," he said, adding: "You don't put a politician in the corner without them expecting to strike back at you. And right now, I was hopeful. Right now they're not ready. They are not ready to sit down and talk and put the nation first in my opinion. "

Kasich also was critical of GOP efforts to fund the fight against the opioid crisis in the new healthcare plan.

"These efforts to try to buy people off and they'll throw big high numbers but they won't understand what the impact is on the program and that's why I continue to speak out," he said.

"Do you think that I like to have to fight the leaders in my own party over this?" he added. "Of course not. There's no joy in that. [Former President] John Kennedy may have said it best. 'Sometimes my party asks too much.'"

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