WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) -- Republican Party leaders say they will directly criticize U.S. President Barack Obama rather than bash Democratic surrogates on issues such as the budget.
The GOP has largely confined its partisan attacks to Democratic congressional leaders such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., rather than take on the popular president directly. But now Republicans are shifting gears to criticize Obama directly, especially on his proposed budget, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
"There is no point in triangulation when it comes to his budget," the Post said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, told a group of his House members last week in a closed-door meeting. "It's the president's budget. His name is on it."
"It's risky because the president is popular and because of his charisma," added Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind. "And when you don't have a single spokesman, it's hard to communicate. But there is a sharp philosophical divide."
The move to take on Obama directly comes at a time when Republicans lack a recognizable spokesman, with talk radio personality Rush Limbaugh and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele coming the closest, the Post said.
