He later told a town hall meeting broadcast by PBS that Trump’s prescription to fix the economy by negotiating better trade deals or stopping immigration had enticed some, but was illusory.
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The remarks in Elkhart are the start of what Obama’s aides say will be a shift towards a new stage of his second term, with the president actively campaigning to ensure he is replaced by a Democrat. “Have we really forgotten what just happened eight years ago?” “These are permanent fixtures in our economy and rolling them back will not help folks in Elkhart or anywhere else”.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, look, the – I think that what has always been true in American politics is that, when we have gone through a tough time – and we went through the worst financial crisis of our lifetimes.
Asked Wednesday night why he rarely mentions Trump’s name, Obama said the businessman is better at marketing himself than the Democratic candidates. He repeatedly denounced Trump’s proposals, saying at one point that the idea of deporting 11 million people who are in the country illegally is a “fantasy”, and that “we can not put up walls around America”.
In January 2009, as the US economy was freezing up, employers were cutting roughly 800,000 jobs that month.
Both Trump and Clinton, his likely opponent, have identified Rust Belt voters as a key constituency in the 2016 presidential election.
If Wilken had a chance to ask the President a question, she would have gauged his thoughts on “true choice” for veterans. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 51 percent of Americans approve of Obama’s performance, making him more popular than Hillary Clinton or Trump.
But Obama was skeptical that Trump could fulfill his promise.
The presidents approval ratings have finally improved to levels where his fellow Democrats feel comfortable running on policies, especially on the economy. “It’s going to be voters like you that are going to have to decide on two very different visions of what’s going to strengthen our middle class”. Clinton has proposed steps that build directly on Obama’s actions while Sanders has praised his accomplishments.
Democrat Obama ditched his suit jacket and rolled-up his shirt sleeves for an hour-long partisan political speech in a predominantly Republican district of in, a battleground state in the heart of America’s rust belt.
The visit to Elkhart was not just about the November election.
Regarding homeless veterans, Obama said his administration has reduced their number by one-third, while the GOP-controlled Congress has failed to fund his veterans programs.
“President Obama having anything to do with success in Elkhart”, sighed Coats. When I took office, this was the first city I came to. The unemployment rate in April was 5 percent, and the economy added 160,000 jobs.
“They repeat it a lot, but it’s not supported by the facts”, Obama said during a speech at an Elkhart high school, which has took place on June 1, the Chicago Tribune reports. Since Obama’s first speech there, Elkhart’s unemployment rate has dropped from 19.6% to 4.1% today, according to the Office of Management and Budget. We repealed the inheritance tax, maintained strong reserves and invested more than $2.0 billion in our state’s infrastructure to support a growing economy.
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Responding to a question on why he is not taking Trump’s name while criticising his policies, Mr. Obama said: “You know, he (Trump) seems to do a good job mentioning his own name”.
