Pat Toomey: Focus On National Security
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey emerged from the World Wide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, presented to Congress by James Clapper of the NSA focused on national security as we head into the presidential election cycle.
Toomey, during and interview with Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, said, without a doubt, this should be the top priority of the candidates for the White House.
"I think it's national security. Others think it's the strength of the economy. For myself, when I think about these risks that we face when I come out of the intelligence briefings that we have, I think the number one concern should be the security of the American people."
He voiced an immediate concern about recent developments with North Korea's nuclear program.
"A small nuclear device detonated in a big city could kill tens of thousands of people but that same device detonated over the United State will kill tens of millions of people because, just think about what happens with no electricity anywhere. Think about what happens at hospitals and supermarkets and gas stations. There is no fuel. There is no food. There is no energy. It's over. Admittedly, the probability of that occurring in any given day or any given year is quite low, but the devastation is so massive that we can't continue to run this risk."
Toomey also said that, despite his troubles debating in New Hampshire and on the campaign trail, Florida Senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio has the best grasp of how to confront the problem faced from ISIS.
"The press wanted to fixate on when Marco Rubio repeated his message but I thought he gave a very, very powerful, detailed, compelling, explanation of the nature of the ISIS threat and how we have to respond to it, how we can defeat it, why it's so important to have the Sunni Arabs on board with us. I agree that that's only a component of the threats that we face from all around the world, but it's arguable the most imminent and most dangerous."