Obama talks health reform, Tiger Woods, Israel with Fox News

Washington - U.S. President Barack Obama sat down with Fox News' Bret Baiter about his health care reform initiative, Tiger Woods' personal situation and the current state of the relations between the U.S. and Israel.

On Wednesday, Fox News interviewed the U.S. President regarding the current state of affairs in health care reform, the relations with Israel and Tiger Woods’ return to the sport of golf next month. As interviewer Bret Baier began the interview with Obama over health care reform, Obama said that he and the general public do not care if the House of Representatives have to use unorthodox methods in order to create a direct vote on the Senate’s version of health care reform. “I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or the Senate. Whatever they end up voting on—and I hope its going to be sometime this week—that is going to be a vote for or against my health care proposal. That’s what matters. That’s what ultimately people are going to judge this on,” said Obama. Politico reports that the President didn’t endorse the “deem and pass” measure that the House leaders are considering to allow Representatives to vote for the Senate legislation, “You've got a Senate bill that was passed, that had provisions that needed to be changed.” Obama added House members want to vote on a bill. The White House has criticized Fox News over its perceived right-wing bias, reports BBC News, but the President iterated confidence that the health bill would be passed as he faced tough questions from the interviewer. Obama continually asked Baier to allow him to finish his answers without being interrupted. "Bret, you've got to let me finish my answers," Obama said. "Sir, I know you don't like to filibuster, but," Mr Baier said. "Well, I'm trying to answer your question and you keep on interrupting," the President responded. During the interview, the 44th President assured the American people that there has been no strain in U.S.-Israel ties and that Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to the new construction sites to the eastern part of Jerusalem has not led to a crisis between the two states, reports the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We and the Israeli people have a special bond that's not going to go away. But friends are going to disagree sometimes. There is a disagreement in terms of how we can move this peace process forward.” The former Illinois Senator also commented on Tiger Woods as he said that he offers support to Woods and hopes that he and his wife, Elin Nordegren, work things out over his alleged affair, reports Digital Spy. “Tiger has acknowledged that he betrayed his family and that's a personal issue they've got to work out. I hope they work it out and he returns to golf.” Obama added that Woods will still be a “terrific golfer” when he returns to the sport on April 8 at the Masters.