© AP Photo Close'We've been grappling with a crisis for three years,' Obama told the crowd in North Carolina.
Against the backdrop of more negative poll numbers and two special-election losses for Democrats, Obama called on thousands of college students assembled in the steamy Reynolds Coliseum to mobilize behind the plan, a mix of tax cuts and government spending on infrastructure, jobs programs and construction projects.
The 26-minute speech before a crowd of more than 9,000 echoed his remarks in previous days, with a slightly sharper critique of congressional Republicans for suggesting that they don't want to give Obama a political "win" and pass his proposal.
"I get fed up with that kind of game plan, and we've been seeing it for too long. Too long," Obama said. "We're in a national emergency. We've been grappling with a crisis for three years, and instead of getting folks to rise up above partisanship in a spirit that says we're all in this together, we got folks who are purposely dividing, purposely thinking just in terms of how does this play out just in terms of this election."
Like a traveling salesman, Obama stood at a podium and held up a copy of the 155-page American Jobs Act, ticking off state-specific data on how the bill would benefit North Carolinians: 19,000 construction workers could get jobs, 153 structurally deficient bridges could be repaired, and the typical family could see a $1,300 tax cut.
"Tell your Congress person that the time for partisanship and politics is over," Obama said.
"The time for action is now," he added. "If you want to create jobs, pass this bill."
The trip coincided with a grim new poll, special election losses in Nevada and New York and a burgeoning investigation on Capitol Hill over a federal clean-energy loan.
As Obama headed south to North Carolina, lawmakers were opening a hearing into the administration's apparent rush to approve a $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, a California firm that later folded, despite evidence that the company had been on shaky financial ground.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One that the administration had acted appropriately and is cooperating with investigators.
Carney said the two election losses in Nevada and New York should not be interpreted as a referendum on Obama.
"Special elections are often unique and their outcomes don't tell you very much about future regularly scheduled elections," Carney said. "You can make those predictions and look foolish in 14 months or not. I'm simply saying we do not view it that way (as a referendum)."
A new survey underscored Obama's challenge in selling his plan. The Bloomberg National Poll found that a majority of voters don't believe the American Jobs Act will lower the unemployment rate, a downbeat assessment that reflects public skepticism about Washington's ability to reverse the economic decline.
"I think that means half the American people based on that poll believe it will help create jobs and grow the economy," Carney said. "We are not done pressing Congress and reaching to the American people."
Reader Comments