Obama Revs Into Campaign Mode in Wisconsin

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks on the economy at the Milwaukee Laborfest Monday, Sept. 6, 2010.

/ AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

In his second Labor Day in office, President Obama returned to the site of his Labor Day speech in the heart of campaign 2008 — Milwaukee — and a crowd of union supporters to kick off his defense of Democrats who are struggling to retain control of Congress in campaign 2010.

He used the appearance to do what many Democrats have hoped he'd have done all year: Fight back against Republican opposition and focus on issue number one for voters, the economy.

"I'm going to keep fighting, every single day, every single hour, every single minute, to turn this economy around; to put people back to work; to renew the American Dream for your families and for future generations," he told the crowd of over 10,000.

He not only unveiled a new proposal to rebuild 150,000 miles of roads, 4,000 miles of rail and 150 miles of America's runways; he also began his defense of his and Congressional Democrats' actions on the economy by lashing out at the Republicans'.

"When it comes to just about everything we've done to strengthen the middle class and rebuild our economy, almost every Republican in Congress said 'no.' Even where we usually agree, they say 'no,'" Mr. Obama said.

But he wasn't done: "They think it's better to score political points before an election than to solve problems. So they said 'no' to help for small businesses.... 'No' to middle-class tax cuts.... 'No' to clean energy jobs. 'No' to making college affordable. 'No' to reforming Wall Street. They are saying, right now, 'no' to cutting more taxes for small businesses," said Mr. Obama in referring to a small business bill that is stalled in the Senate.

The President summed up the Republican opposition as the "No, We Can't" party, compared to his campaign slogan of "Yes, We Can."

"I personally think 'Yes We Can' is more inspiring than 'No, We Can't,'" he quipped.

Obama: Americans Don't Believe "No, We Can't" (Complete Text of Speech)

Many of these comments are identical to ones Mr. Obama has been giving to party faithful in fundraising events over the past few months. But today's event shows he's not shy about fighting back against Republicans in larger speeches, and will do so constantly as the election gets closer.

"It would be one thing, Milwaukee, if Republicans in Washington had some new ideas, if they said . . . 'You know, we've learned from our mistakes. We'll do things differently this time.' But that's not what they're doing," he added.

He then turned his attention directly to House Minority Leader John Boehner. Without mentioning him by name, the President attacked Boehner for voting against a bill to help states keep teachers, police officers and firefighters employed. "These are the people who teach our children. These are the people who keep our streets safe. These are the people who put their lives on the line... I don't know about you, but I think those jobs are worth saving," Mr. Obama said. said.

In fact, the White House plans to make Boehner a target in this week's campaign push. The President will give another speech on the economy on Wednesday in Cleveland, and the White House has already billed it as an attack on Boehner's economic speech that the Ohio Republican gave there last month.

In today's event, the President also made a pre-emptive strike against some Republicans who suggest cutting or privatizing Social Security to ease the nation's growing debt. "It will not happen on my watch," he said.

For their part, Republicans were quick to denounce the President's $50 billion proposed infrastructure project. "We need to cut spending immediately and end the environment of uncertainty that continues to impede real private sector job creation and growth," wrote House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., in a statement.

While many economists doubt the ability of the President's proposals to turn around the country's economic fortunes and create a significant number of jobs before the November election, he can help Democrats in Congress keep theirs by continuing to focus on the issue, says Jim VandeHei of Politico.

"All he can do is go out there and grind it every day, talk about the economy," he said. "That's what House Democrats by the way want: 'Just talk about the economy, talk about our accomplishments, talk about how bad things could have been, and do that over and over and maybe that will work.'"

[xila654]

It is not just Islam. All religions were created to deceive and manipulate the population, including Christianity and Judaism. Remember that old saying, "even if you dont make your bed you still have to sleep in it".

[Socialization]

2012 cannot come soon enough.

[John_Merritt]

Oh save your breath Mr. President people have stopped listening to your words. That is what happens when your rhetoric is matched only by your absence of sincerity.

[azfalcon]

Just hang on folks.... we're almost there. The best of times occur when a Democrat is in the White House and Republicans control both houses of Congress. Nothing good EVER happens when one party controls all three.... and nothing good happens when the Democrats control both houses of Congress. All you have to do is look back on history - most recently Clinton's last six years. Now, do your part and vote in a Republican Congress - and then keep a Democrat in the White House. If you can't make that happen you have no one to blame but yourself for a crappy ecomomy.

[talltimber41]

I thought that is what Stimulus I was all about. Oh, I forgot; Pelosi had to pay off all her buddies.

[inketolstoy]

CBS, the title should be "Obama Continues in Campaign Mode in Wisconsin". With the exception of the health care debacle, he never started leading or stopped campaigning after he was elected. Pretty slogans and false speeches aren't what great leaders are made of, Mr. President.

[slatep]

If Obama wants to have any positive effect on the economy, he has to get out of the unions beds.

[tsigili]

You can't fool most of the people, AGAIN!

[Joutue]

By Jontue September 7,2010 7:40 AM

Obama should stop acting like a comedian, and more like a president, should.
Stop blaming the repugs and get on with his job of creating jobs for
american people, that's what will help the economy.
Everyone keeping up with the news, already knows how the repugs are doing,
and what their not doing.

[AngryMobVoter]

Obama, The Teleprompter President? is and has always been in campaign mode. This Administration and Congress need to get out of campaign mode and start working for the American people. This Administration and Congress will never understand the middle and low income groups DO NOT CREATE JOBS, they take jobs. It is the upper income groups who create jobs and those groups are not going to create jobs in the face of high taxes, senseless regulation, and uncertainty.

[skeezix06]

Newsflash. The upper income groups aren't going to create jobs when the middle and low income groups don't have money to buy their products. The middle and low income groups don't have money because they don't have jobs.

The upper income groups got too greedy. You need look no further than the Motts/Dr. Pepper thing to see it. Instead of raises for years of record profits, employees are now being "rewarded" by demands for pay cuts and pension freezes? And as usual, the media skims lightly over it on their way to the next celebrity scandal.

[AngryMobVoter]

The job creators are not going to create jobs when they are faced with high taxes and obtrusive regulation. It is simple as that. We are headed in the wrong direction unless you want the government to employ everyone. We know how well that works. The stimulus has not worked at all and healthcare "reform" is just making healthcare cost more for the average American. If you want jobs, get the government out of our business and out of the economy.

As long as our government continues the reckless spending and unprecedented meddling with businesses, we cannot expect real long term growth.

The Congress and current Administration have put the country on a course of reckless government spending that has mortgaged the future of all Americans especially future generations. The only way to fix this long term structural problem is to create a pro-growth atmosphere for business. To do this we must reduce taxes NOW. How many different taxes does a business or individual pay on a regular basis? We must eliminate number and complexity of all these taxes and reduce the tax burden.

We also need to end the micro-management of business and the economy. Until we GREATLY reduce the tax burden on business and consumers and remove the senseless regulations that accomplish little in relation to the cost they impose, our future is bleak.

REMEMBER IN November...VOTE THEM OUT!!!