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Analysis: Presidential Candidates Take Heat From Their Own Parties

By Larry Kane

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - In a campaign update, some heat on the candidates from unlikely sources: leaders of their own parties.

It's an unusual election year move, but it means that key politicians are trying to get the campaigns to listen.

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(KYW's Larry Kane)

It comes out of the National Governors Conference. Now, talk is cheap in politics, but when it comes from governors, presidential candidates must pay attention.

Democratic Governors (a much smaller group since 2010) urged the President to get more positive, sharpen his economic message and stress education as a major issue. It certainly was a different message -- heat from your own party.

READ: GOP Govs to Romney: Release Tax Returns, Offer More Specifics

And Mitt Romney got it, too. Like many big time fundraisers are urging in Pennsylvania, most of the Republican Governors urged Romney to release more tax returns. They also urged him to strike back on his business background, which has now put the economy out of the headlines.

Very public criticism from both parties.

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