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OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — President Barack Obama's health care law was the legacy of his first term and he is pursuing a nuclear deal with Iran as the hallmark of his second, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida told conservative activists on Friday.
Both, the likely 2016 presidential candidate said, were destined to fail.
"It is a foreign policy that treats the ayatollah of Iran with more respect than the prime minister of Israel," Rubio told those meeting near Washington at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.
Rubio added that Obama's foreign policy has left the United States weaker than when he took office and he is not sufficiently supportive of U.S. ally Israel, which strongly opposes the talks with Iran and its leaders. Obama's administration and its allies are in negotiations with Iran's leaders to curb Tehran's nuclear program.
Republicans and some Democrats have been critical of the attempt. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is coming to Washington next week speak to Congress and is expected to criticize the efforts, as well.
Rubio said talks with Iran are foolish and the U.S. should side with Israel in opposing Iran's nuclear program. He said the next president should have one message to communicate to the world: "It is bad to be our enemy and good to be our friend."
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