 Dick Wadhams blames the losses on several obstacles including Barack Obama’s charisma, the unpopularity of President George W. Bush and the Wall Street crash, which was blamed on Republicans who had supported deregulation in the name of free enterprise.Some critics have attacked Dick Wadhams for playing a dual role during the 2008 election by being both the Party Chairman in addition to being Bob Schaffer's campaign manager.However, during the 2008 election, under Wadham's leadership, the Colorado Republican Party was "hailed for its voter turnout" and recognized by the RNC.