GOP Shifts Focus of Attacks Onto Obama

After targeting Pelosi, Reid, party aims at president on spending
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 5, 2009 7:50 AM CST
GOP Shifts Focus of Attacks Onto Obama
House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, looks on as President Obama greets lawmakers after the president opened the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, in the White House.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

For 6 weeks the Republicans have steered clear of criticizing Barack Obama, attacking the House and Senate leadership, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, while giving the popular president a free pass. But now, reports CQPolitics, the GOP is changing direction with a new campaign linking Obama with federal spending that voters may end up disliking. "We’re going after his proposals," said House minority leader John Boehner.

While Obama's popularity keeps the GOP from making personal attacks, the president's transformative budget—and its massive deficits—offer the Republicans a new line of attack. Darrell Issa, the ranking Republican on the House oversight committee, laid into the president yesterday for "waste and abuse created by his massive spending spree." Despite the attacks, Obama is continuing his bipartisan push; yesterday, Boehner made his third visit to the White House for a dinner with the president.
(More Barack Obama stories.)

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