Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch brought up a claim he said "some people" have made that President Barack Obama is waiting until after this year's gubernatorial election in New Jersey and Virginia before making a decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan, adding that those people were "hyper-critical" and that "he hoped that's not the case.""Some people have even been, I think, hyper-critical in suggesting that he's waiting until after the election because they have some tough governorships up for election" Hatch said In an appearance on CNN's State of the Union with John King, "I hope that's not the case."
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown said he knows Hatch didn't say he believes that, but called it "outrageous ... that partisans in this country would say that the President of the United States" is delaying the decision on troops for political reasons.
On ABC's "This Week" Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to frame the Virginia governor's race - where polls show Republican Bob McDonnell firmly in the lead - as a referendum on the Democratic majority in Congress.
Calling the race a "test case," McConnell said the race showed Democratic approach was losing support from the American people.
"I think this is clearly not working" for Democrats, McConnell said, noting that Virginia Democratic gubernatorial contender Creigh Deeds had complained about the environment in Washington.