Republicans wish Trump would use the Obamacare bully pulpit

Republicans complained Thursday that President Trump is wasting the power of the bully pulpit as the party struggles to partially repeal Obamacare.

Members of Congress and top strategists said Trump's limited public engagement is hampering their ability to corral votes for their bill in the Senate. They conceded, with disappointment, that his effort pales in comparison to what former President Barack Obama did to push the Affordable Care Act across the finish line.

"Absolutely, there's more he could be doing," a Republican senator told the Washington Examiner. "Tweeting about Mika is not as effective as tweeting about lowering premiums and deductibles."

The senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, was referring to the spat between Trump and MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski. She and others spent a portion of Thursday's show mocking the president; he responded on Twitter by ridiculing her appearance in an attack many Republicans called undignified and disproportionate.

Congressional Republicans are heading into the July 4 recess with their healthcare agenda unsettled and massively unpopular.