The White House, stung by criticism that President Obama ignored floods and riots during his two-week vacation, denounced the Senate Monday for taking a seven-week recess while neglecting lethal mosquitoes and a Supreme Court vacancy.
It also rejected comparisons between the “bad optics” of Mr. Obama golfing last week during the flooding and President George W. Bush being photographed flying over flood-ravaged New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“They’ve got to find something to criticize the president about,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. He said although Mr. Obama was on the links during the flooding, “the president was focused on the federal response.”
Singling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for particular ridicule, Mr. Earnest said it took an “extra-special dose of nerve” for the Kentucky Republican to boast on vacation about blocking Mr. Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick Garland.
“They actually spent their seven-week vacation bragging about not doing their job,” Mr. Earnest said on Monday. He also blasted the Republican-led Senate for failing to approve legislation to provide money to combat the Zika virus; both parties are blaming the other for the impasse. – READ MORE
