GOP Leaders to Obama: Stop Blaming a) Europe and b) Us

House Republican leaders responded to President Obama’s morning press conference by asking the commander in chief to stop engaging in the “blame game” and to acknowledge that the private sector is not doing fine.

“It’s not because of the headwinds of Europe. It’s not — despite his attempt and his party’s attempts here in Congress, it is not because of House Republicans,” Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said in an afternoon press conference. “It’s because of the failed stimulus policies and other items in his agenda that small businesses in this country just aren’t growing.”

“Just because Europe has problems doesn’t mean that we can’t begin to solve our problems,” said Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

“The reason Europe is in the shape that it’s in is because they waited too long to deal with their problems. That’s why I was insistent last summer that we address our deficit and our debt problem. That’s why I, again, last month called for us to address our deficit and our debt problem,” he added.

“The truth of the matter is that, as I said we’ve created 4.3 million jobs over the last two — 27 months; over 800,000 just this year alone. The private sector is doing fine,” Obama told reporters earlier.

“Where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government, oftentimes cuts initiated by, you know, governors or mayors who are not getting the kind of help that they have in the past from the federal government and who don’t have the same kind of flexibility as the federal government in dealing with fewer revenues coming in,” the president continued. “And so, you know, if — if Republicans want to be helpful, if they really want to move forward and put people back to work, what they should be thinking about is how do we help state and local governments and how do we help the construction industry.”

“Mr. President, I used to run a small business. And, Mr. President, take it from me, the private sector is not doing well,” Boehner fired back in the GOP event.

“We’re going to vote next month on extending all of the current tax rates, and the president should assure the nation that when this bill gets to his desk he’ll sign it into law.”