President Barack Obama heated up his political rhetoric on Sunday at a number of different campaign events, saying Republicans’ small government views “will fundamentally cripple America.”
Obama accused Republicans of obstructionism and abandoning their constituents while speaking at a Democratic National Committee fundraising event in Medina, Washington.
“We’re seeing it even now,” Obama said. “I mean, as we speak, there is a debate going on in Congress about whether disaster relief funding should be granted as part of the overall budget to keep the government open. Now, keep in mind we’ve never had this argument before. And what makes it worse is that some of the Republicans who are opposing this disaster relief, it’s their constituents who have been hit harder than anyone by these natural disasters.”
Later on Sunday, Obama jabbed at the 2012 Republican presidential field and GOP debate audiences. Without naming names, Obama took a specific stab at Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
“Some of you here may be folks who actually used to be Republicans but are puzzled by what’s happened to that party,” Obama said at a San Jose, California, fundraiser. “I mean, has anybody been watching the debates lately? You’ve got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change.”
“It’s true,” Obama continued. “You’ve got audiences cheering at the prospect of somebody dying because they don’t have health care and booing a service member in Iraq because they’re gay.”
The president left D.C. Sunday for a West Coast campaign tour. The White House has said he has plans to attend seven fundraisers over the course of the trip.