RNC Chair Calls on Obama to Skip Olympics Lobbying Trip

RNC Chair Calls on Obama to Skip Olympics Lobbying Trip

Updated 12:44 p.m.
By Perry Bacon Jr.
President Obama is leaving Washington Thursday for a fairly non-partisan cause, lobbying the International Olympic Committee to hold the 2016 games in Chicago, but he still can't escape GOP criticism.

"I just don't think it's necessary," said Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday morning. "I don't know the judgment behind the president going. I just think it's not a necessary trip right now when we are facing some pretty looming issues."

Referring to the health care debate on Capitol Hill, Steele said, "If it's that important, Mr. President, stay home and get it done."

The slam brought forth a response from the Democratic National Committee. "It's just sad that Michael Steele and the Republican party would talk down our country's Olympic bid, purely for partisan politics. It just goes to prove what we've been saying all along -- Republicans are dead set on saying 'no' to anything the president supports, even bringing the Olympic games back to the United States," spokesman Hari Sevugan said in an e-mail.