Obama Hits Stimulus Critics, Cites Voter Support

He met at the White House with Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine. She's a moderate who sometimes parts company with her party.

Another Maine Republican, Sen. Susan Collins, has been working with Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska on possible spending cuts of about $50 billion from the measure.

Republicans are preparing a number of attempts to cut the cost of the $900 billion measure. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, speaking on the Senate floor, said it "needs to be cut down."

Obama has said some of the spending provisions singled out by opponents of the stimulus plan represent just a fraction of the price tag. And he's warning that if Congress fails to act quickly, the economic crisis could turn into a "catastrophe."

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)