WASHINGTON (November 27, 2012)—U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell Tuesday denounced the way President Barack Obama is going about building support for his position on avoiding the "fiscal cliff."

The White House said Mr. Obama intends to hold a series of events aimed at building support for his approach, which includes allowing taxes on the wealthy to rise while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.

Those events include a meeting Tuesday with small business owners, and one Wednesday with middle-class families.

McConnell, however, says instead of sitting down with lawmakers and "working out an agreement," Mr. Obama is "back out on the campaign trail."

Both sides are warning that the impending tax increases and spending cuts set for January could harm the nation's economic recovery, but an agreement still seems far from certain.

Mr. Obama isn't the only one planning to try to build public support for his position.

House Republicans are planning to hold events in the coming weeks with small businesses in their districts, to highlight the effect that tax increases could have on small businesses and their employees.