Sen. John McCain told a packed crowd in Sun City Tuesday that the nation simply cannot afford President Barack Obama's health care reform plan.

"We have committed an act of generational theft, we have robbed our children of their fiscal future and we have done it by amassing deficits of unprecedented proportions," McCain told people attending a town hall at Grace Bible Church.

While about 700 people packed into the church, others were turned away at the door and dozens others watched the town hall in an overflow room.

McCain stated his case at the start.

"We want affordable and available health care for all Americans. What we cannot -- and must not -- do is the, quote, public option, which really is the government option," McCain told the crowd.

Plans under discussion do not address one of the most costly health care problems -- malpractice insurance, McCain said.

"Any one of our physicians will tell you that they practice defensive medicine and, understandably so, because of their fear of being sued," McCain said. "In no bill that's going through Congress right now is medical malpractice reform part of the bill. Why? Because of the trial lawyers. Duh..."

McCain defended the president when one woman in the audience said Obama does not respect the Constitution.

"The president is absolutely sincere in his beliefs," said McCain, who lost to Obama in the 2008 presidential race.

That brought some jeers from the audience before McCain continued, "He is sincere in his beliefs. He is the president of the United States and let's be respectful."

McCain said, however, that the Obama Administration is trying to ram health care reform through Congress.

"I'll tell you right now -- if it had not been for these town hall meetings all over the country, I believe that health care reform and a government plan would have been railroaded through Congress by now," he said.

Mc Cain's meeting was the first of the day.

Rep. Trent Franks scheduled a 5 p.m. meeting a few miles away, at Church of Joy in Glendale, and Rep. John Shadegg was to begin a meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Thunderbird High School.

Meanwhile, Rep. Harry Mitchell, a Democrat, plans to host a telephone town hall Wednesday night, when McCain will hold a second town hall at North Phoenix Baptist Church.

Shadegg will hold another meeting Thursday night, beginning at 7 p.m. at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, north of Phoenix.

McCain has said the public option must go and has called on Obama to make it clear what he wants. The senator said that leaving the details to Congress isn't enough. McCain also has suggested Obama meet with members of both parties in Congress to discuss his plan.

Shadegg said on CNBC Tuesday morning that, while people with pre-existing conditions and those who have no coverage need help, any plan should not harm people who are happy with their current health care.

"We shouldn't be throwing out that part of the system to take care of the problem," Shadegg said. "Under the system, what we're doing is we're putting them under government control because we're moving all control of health insurance to the federal government."

Shadegg said there are better ways to rein in health care costs than a federal government takeover.

"Let you buy health insurance on the same tax-free basis as a company and you'll create a market," Shadegg said. "And also let us buy across state lines so that we're not forced to buy from two or three companies in just one state."

Franks said Obama's plan is to expensive and that he favors giving people -- including those currently on government-run Medicare -- more choices.

"When we let free enterprise loose on something, there are innovations that take place that bring you better care for less cost," Franks said.

Arizona Democrats said they expect charged-up crowds at the Republican town halls this week. Jennifer Johnson of the state Democratic Party said that's okay as long as there's room for "regular voices."

"That's up to the Congress members and their staffs to kind of keep that kind of order and keep that kind of productivity," Johnson said.

She said McCain's willingness to work with Democrats on health care reform is "very statesmanlike," but sometimes saying something and actually doing it are two different things.

"We look forward to those kind of overtures, and we certainly hope that they follow through on those and actually do work with the president and Congress to get something done on this," Johnson said.

One Valley physician, Dr. Eric Novack, said health care reform is desperately needed, but he doesn't favor the Obama plan.

"There should be some evidence that the health care policies that are being proposed will work before they're foisted on 300-million people," Novack said.

He believes the president underestimated reaction to his plan.

"It will be a grave mistake for the president, for leaders in Congress of both parties, to think that -- when people look at their health and health care -- it can be just something for Washington to divide up and redesign," Novack said.

He added that no one believes government can increase coverage for 30- to 40-million people and spend less money.

Novack also expressed concern that drug makers, hospitals, insurance companies and the American Medical Association are jockeying to cut their own deals and divide one-sixth of the American economy.