Obama Blasts Republicans at California Fundraiser for Gay Soldier and Health Care Comments

President Obama blasted his Republican opponents, particularly conservative audience members at recent GOP debates, on Sunday for their comments on healthcare and gay soldiers in a fundraiser speech in San Jose, Calif.

You've got audiences cheering at the prospect of somebody dying because they don't have healthcare, Obama said. And booing a service member in Iraq because they're gay.

Obama, in light of the debt ceiling and the job crisis, has become more aggressive in his campaign tactics lately by attacking Republicans and drawing contrasts with them. He also said said a Republican president would institute an approach to government that would fundamentally cripple America in meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

The comments about the service member may especially strike a chord, particularly with the LGBT community. According to gay.americablog.com, the criticisms came during the Republican presidential debate in Florida on Thursday night when Stephen Hill was booed by the audience for saying that he was gay and asking a question about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which the U.S. military has recently repealed.

Afterwards, none of the GOP candidates on stage defended him.

That's not reflective of who we are, Obama said of the booing and its irrelevancy to the upcoming election. This is a choice about the fundamental direction of our country, the president said. 2008 was an important direction. 2012 is a more important election.