On the Campaign Trail, Obama Sharpens Attacks on GOP

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign fundraiser for Missouri Senate hopeful Robin Carnahan, July 8, 2010, in Kansas City, Mo.

/ AP

Updated 4:40 p.m. Eastern Time

President Obama hit Republicans hard for recent comments downplaying the financial crisis and for apologizing to BP in the first of three fundraisers he's appearing at today for Senate candidates.

"The other party spent a decade driving the economy into the ditch..now they want the car keys back. They can't have them back. They don't know how to drive," the president told a crowd at a grassroots fundraiser in Missouri for Senate hopeful Robin Carnahan.

The President took on Republican House leader John Boehner for his comment that the financial reform package moving through Congress is akin to killing an ant with a nuclear weapon. "That's what he called what we just went through...You can imagine a movie...'The ant that ate our economy' That's a big ant!" joked the president.

Responded Boehner in a statement to CBS News: "On President Obama's watch, more than three million Americans have lost their jobs and unemployment is near 10 percent. The American people continue to ask, where are the jobs? But the President keeps whining and indulging in childish partisan attacks. How out of touch can he get?"

Mr. Obama also chastised Republican Joe Barton for publicly apologizing to the chairman of BP over the company's putting $20 billion away to cover claims from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico at the request of the White House. "Does anybody here think BP should get an apology?" the president asked. The crowd answered with a resounding "NO."

Speaking at a second fundraiser, Mr. Obama continued the attack on Barton, saying that the remarks show what side the Republicans are really on. "They don't think in terms of representing ordinary folks. That's not their orientation. So that's the choice that we face in this election," he said.

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Election 2010

Mr. Obama also took on Carnahan's opponent - Republican Congressman Roy Blunt, who was recently part of the House GOP leadership. He attacked Blunt and the Republicans for voting against the president's recovery act. "If he had his way, there'd be a lot of Missouri families paying higher taxes today," the president said in touting the success of the stimulus program.

Obama's furthered his attack on the GOP in Congress. "Sometimes I wonder if that 'NO' button is just stuck in Congress," he said. "They can't do what's right for the American people."

He blasted Republicans over their attacks on runaway Washington spending, saying that the debt and deficit are one of the things that keeps him up at night, and yet the GOP was part of the reason why he inherited a trillion dollar deficit. "It's a little odd getting lectures on sobriety from folks who spent like drunken sailors in the last decade," said the president.

In the second fundraiser in Kansas City, the president also sharpened his attacks on the GOP's economic policies "They are peddling that same snake oil that they've been peddling for years and somehow they think you will have forgotten that it didn't work," he said.

Showing his support for Carnahan, currently Missouri's Secretary of State, the president said she is working to move the country forward and the debate in the November elections will be about the direction that government should take the country.

"She doesn't want to move us backwards, she wants to move us forward, and that's the choice in this election," he said. He also touted Carnahan's loyalty to the state.

"She's going to Washington to represent one constituency. That's you the people of Missouri," he said at the first of 2 fundraisers that together raised nearly $500,000 for Carnahan's campaign. "If you fight for Robin Carnahan.. she will make sure that America moves forward," added Mr. Obama.

Interactive Map: CBS News Election 2010 Race Ratings

Robert Hendin is a CBS News White House producer. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here.

[Margarettt]

Why are Jehovah's Witnesses always used as an example or a metaphor for brainwashing? We as a global group opposed hitler to his nazi face.

We sidestep this mob phenomena in every era it rears its ugly head.

We simply don't drop our convictions when things get 'serious.'

Allow a trees 'own' leaves to reveal its integrity. Examine the pages of our publications. Regards.

[wfw3536]

The only thing Obama knows is how to be negative. Where is all this wonderful hope and change he promised. Instead he should be doing something about the gulf disaster cleanup which is a failure by the federal government or the 18% of the folks who are un or underemployed. He is only interested in raising money and getting re-elected. How sad.

[user000049586849302948602]

Obama is just beginning to show the repugs his foot.

More popcorn, please.

[realist51]

President obama is just pointing out the facts. no votes no confirmation no nothing attacks from the right. attacks from limbaugh, palin beck and the right wingers about taking there goverment back and doing what? what has really changed? there have been no amentment changes to the consitution. no major legislation to take rights away unlike the patriot act. alot of republican't crying about regulation of the health care industry. deficit spending but i don't see the republican's filibustering spending for the Iraq and afganhistan war! job creation is suppose to be the private sectors respondsibility. if the goverment has to do it then taxes will have to go up. its just a fact and if the goverment does create jobs then there's the right out there crying about spending. and yet the right has not brought forward any kind of jobs bills. so what is it. more tax cuts = more deficit and if you really believe wall st is going to create more jobs with more tax cuts you havn't followed history.

[endurorob_5]

You obviously pay no attention to what is going on. Repubs have had many ideas that Obama and his cabal just dismiss. The reason he and the rest of the dems are attacking the repubs and trying to dig up dirt on them is because they cannot stand on their miserable record.

[realist51]

really and what great record does the republican platform have to stand on? job creation? unemployment under republican rule and taxcuts di not create any jobs unemployment levels and job creation were the worst ever under them healthcare reform? control of congress from 1994 to 2007 with control of the white house for eight of those years NO reform what so ever! deregulation of the finacial industry with the repeal of glass stegal helped lead to the 2008 depression, along with major tax cuts that removed a minimum of 1 trillion from federal funding 2 unfunded wars over one trillion added to the deficit, no child left behind unfunded, currently a continuos no vote on any appointments and bills in the senate! doinf nothing then pointing fingers and saying its the democrates faults. so really who has the miserable record the republican party has no platform, no ideas, eeven if they do win seats in both the house and senate they will not win enough to get super majorities to over ride any presidential veto. so here again what are they reaaly going to do?

[endurorob_5]

Back to the campaign trail. I guess there isn't enough going on with the immigration issue, BP oil spill, the mideats issues including the wars. On second thought, stay on the campaign trail. That way it is less likely you will screw up more stuff.

[cleric60]

"She doesn't want to move us backwards, she wants to move us forward, and that's the choice in this election," Obama said. He also touted Carnahan's loyalty to the state....
Is she a liberal socialist and will agree with Obama'a socialistic agenda for our beloved nation???

[pragmatist1]

...never mind yet another distraction like this...what about the secret WH lobbyist meetings going on at the Caribou Coffee shop across from the WH...no accountability for these covert meetings..so much for the transparency and not hiring of any lobbyists...other media outlets (including Jake Tapper) is reporting this...don't support Caribou Coffee...the entire company is owned by entities that are the enemy of our country...the president and his handpicked lobbyist are cooperating with this entity...don't be afraid of the GOP, be afraid of this president and what he's doing to this country...

[RobAla]

Instead of fixing this horrible economy (remember Democrats control the Presidency, the Senate, and the House), this President attacks Republicans who are out of power. I am an independent, and not a member of any political party. He needs to stop attacking everyone and start building up this nation. I am sick of hearing this President blame everyone else.

[gboyd41]

BO just raised more campaign $$ for Blunt. Keep up the good work!

[nolieshere]

Responded Boehner in a statement to CBS News: "On President Obama's watch, more than three million Americans have lost their jobs and unemployment is near 10 percent.

_________________________________________________________________________

I find it interesting that the republicans are stuck with the same talking points. Everyone in America knows that the employment curve has been improving from the day President Obama took office and that the current economic castrophe took root on Bush's watch. Do they really believe Americans are that dumb?

[user000049586849302948602]

Exactly. As often as the repugs tell their lies, there needs to be someone like President Obama telling the truth.

[irongate60]

When Obama took office unemployment was at 6%, its now at 10%, and you call that an improvement? This of course is after he swore spending almost a trillion in stimulus wouldn't bring it above 8%. But hey, you keep telling yourself whatever you have to in order to ignore virtually every poll which says republicans are going to make enormous gain this fall while Obama's approval keeps falling.