Boehner to Romney: Leave Obama Alone While Abroad

House Speaker John Boehner came to President Obama's defense on Tuesday, indicating that Mitt Romney's recent criticism of the president was inappropriate while Obama was abroad.

"Clearly while the president is overseas, he's at a conference, and while the president is overseas I think it's appropriate that people not be critical of him or our country," Boehner told reporters after a House Republican conference meeting, when asked if he agreed with Romney's view that Russia is the U.S.' "number one geopolitical foe."

Romney has said he's "very, very concerned" about Obama's relationship with Russia, particularly in light of comments Obama made when he was unaware his microphone was on during a meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in South Korea. Obama told Medvedev that he needed space now and would be more "flexible" to negotiate missile defense policy after the November elections.

“Russia is not a friendly character on the world stage, and for this president to be looking for greater flexibility, where he doesn't have to answer to the American people in his relations with Russia is very, very troubling, very alarming," Romney said of the encounter.