Bloomberg: Obama should play more golf, not less

• By Will Gray
• Mar 13, 2013 12:29 PM ET

While forced budget cuts in the nation's capital have raised questions about President Barack Obama's golf trips, the mayor of New York City thinks Obama should play more golf – not less.

"I find it fascinating, people criticize him for taking people to dinner – he should be doing that every night. They criticize him for playing golf with people who he's got to deal with. He should be doing that every weekend," explained mayor Michael Bloomberg in a recent interview with "Face the Nation" on CBS. "You always can work better with somebody that you have a chance to build a social relationship with."

As sequestration has forced several federal programs to cut costs – including public tours of the White House, which were recently suspended – many Republicans have focused attention on Obama's golf game, after he notably teed it up with Tiger Woods last month in Florida. Recently Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Republican from Texas, proposed legislation to prevent Obama from using federal funds for golf trips until White House tours are reinstated.

Formerly the Speaker of the House, Republican Newt Gingrich elaborated on that notion during an interview with CNN last week.

"The president will use up more Secret Service time guarding him while he golfs than it would take to keep the White House tours open all year," Gingrich explained.