Obama keeps alive spat with Boehner

President Obama took a few more shots at House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), perpetuating a spat that began earlier this month when Boehner gave a controversial interview to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Ohio Republican had said Democrats' plans for financial reform were like "killing an ant with a nuclear weapon." Democrats, including President Obama, criticized Boehner for belittling the financial crisis.

Obama repeated that line of attack again Thursday.

"You can imagine the movie: The ant that ate our economy. That's a big ant," Obama said at a Missouri fundraiser for Senate candidate Robin Carnahan.

Obama also tied Carnahan's opponent, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), to Boehner and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), who famously apologized to BP.

"Barton and Boehner and Blunt. Sometimes I wonder if that 'no' button is just stuck in Congress so they can't do what's right for the American people," Obama said. "The theory is if I lose, then they win. That's just old brand politics. It just takes us back."

UPDATE: Responding to Obama's comments, Boehner said the president was "indulging in childish partisan attacks."

“On President Obama’s watch, more than three million Americans have lost their jobs and unemployment is near 10 percent," Boehner said. "The American people continue to ask, where are the jobs?  But the President keeps whining and indulging in childish partisan attacks. How out of touch can he get?”