Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, said Sunday that backroom deals have marred the debate over health care reform and poisoned the public’s attitude toward the legislation.

“Overwhelmingly the American people are saying stop and start over,” McCain said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He added, “They don’t like these cynical deals.”

McCain specifically said the insurance industry and drugmakers had benefited from “cynical deals” designed to draw their support for the legislation.

“These were unsavory deals ... done behind closed doors,” according to McCain.

“People object to the process as much as to the product,” McCain said.