Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Monday, 20 October 2014
In Chicago, a warm homecoming for unpopular Obama
Across the country, far more Americans say they disapprove of the president than approve. Democratic candidates in tough races are practically begging Obama to stay away this year.
But this is Chicago, where support for the town's favorite son still runs high. Throngs of Chicagoans craned their necks and shouted cheers in Obama's direction during his brief trip home.
Obama arrived here late Sunday and headed straight to an evening campaign rally for Illinois' Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. After a night's sleep, he hit the town for a day of campaign-themed events aimed at turning out the Democratic vote before an evening flight back to Washington.
A look at how Obama spent his day in Chicago:
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HOME SWEET HOME
There's nothing like waking up your own bed. And since he's traveling stag, Obama had the house to himself — save for a few dozen Secret Service agents, of course, who lock down the streets around the Obamas' South Side home whenever the president comes to town.
How Obama spent his Monday morning is anyone's guess. While the president often heads out for a morning workout at a nearby gym when he's in Chicago, this time he didn't emerge until after 11 a.m.
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VOTE EARLY — AND OFTEN
Obama wants Democrats across the country to vote early this year, hoping to boost turnout in a midterm year when Democrats historically tend not to vote. So Obama put his money where his mouth is, strolling in to a polling place near his house on the first day of early voting in Illinois.
"Barack Obama?" asked the poll worker at the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center. Good guess.
"That's me!" the president replied.
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BROCCOLI DOUGHNUTS?
Volunteers making phone calls for Quinn got a pep talk from the president — and a less-than-healthy snack.
Making a surprise appearance at one of Quinn's campaign field offices, Obama brought three cartons of doughnuts, the oil from the pastries seeping through the white boxes.
But would the first lady approve?
"Michelle sent these," Obama quipped, playing off his wife's childhood nutrition campaign. "We got broccoli, carrots."
Obama seemed in his element as he worked the room and chatted with volunteers — some of whom had worked on his own 2008 campaign.
"Nothing like campaign fever going on," Obama said.
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OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
Just after noon, Obama was back home for a quiet afternoon out of the spotlight. Aides wouldn't say what Obama was up to, but noted the president can carry out his duties from anyplace.
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SHOW ME THE MONEY
Before heading back to the White House Monday night, Obama was to make one last stop at a supporter's home to raise money for the Democratic National Committee. The price to attend? $10,000 a pop.
Sunday, 12 October 2014
Obama wraps up California fundraising tripo
(AP) — President Barack Obama on Saturday wrapped up a week that saw him raise campaign money for Democrats on both coasts.
Obama attended a "round table" discussion at the home of Democratic donor and Zynga founder Mark Pincus and his wife, Ali, with about 25 supporters who paid up to $32,400 for the privilege, according to Democratic officials.
It was Obama's fourth California fundraiser in three days and was closed to media coverage.
This coming week brings more of the same for the president, including his long-anticipated, first appearance at a campaign rally this election season. At an event Wednesday in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he'll help boost Gov. Dannel Malloy and state Democrats. Malloy is in a tight re-election race in a state Obama won easily in 2012.
Obama has worked hard all year to raise money for Democratic congressional and gubernatorial candidates. But his dismal approval ratings — in the low 40s, according to recent polls — so far have sidelined him from the campaign trail as candidates have avoided appearing with him, especially those from states where Obama lost in past years.
But it has been expected that Obama, unpopular or not, would have to step up his involvement in the final weeks before the Nov. 4 elections, in which control of the Senate will be the night's biggest prize. Democrats are currently in charge of the chamber, but Republicans can regain control by picking up just six seats.
The political party that controls the White House historically loses seats in Congress in the midterm election of the president's second term, history that hardly favors an incumbent nearing the end of six years in office.
Obama has chastised core Democratic constituencies for turning away from politics in nonpresidential election years but also has urged them to snap out of their midterm election slumber and vote next month.
"There's a congenital problem that we have as Democrats, and that is, in nonpresidential elections, in midterm elections, we don't vote. We don't vote," he told about 300 supporters at a Democratic National Committee event at a San Francisco hotel Friday night.
"But the main thing that I need right now is votes. We've got to mobilize. We've got to organize. We've got to knock on doors. We've got to make phone calls," he said. "If young people vote, if women vote, if people of color vote, if people who care about the environment vote, if people who care about LGBT rights vote, that's a majority."
Obama returned to the White House on Saturday after spending the past three days in California, mostly for fundraising. He also raised money this week in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut, and has similar events in the week ahead.
On Tuesday, he'll help raise money in the Washington area for Democratic House candidates.
On Wednesday, before heading to the Connecticut rally, Obama planned to stop in Union, New Jersey, to help raise money for Democratic Senate candidates.
On Thursday, he travels to New York's Long Island to headline a Democratic National Committee event.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
White House does not expect Obama, Iran's Rouhani to meet at U.N.
Barack Obama
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Hassan Rouhani
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Middle East
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Politics
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US
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(Reuters) - The White House said on Friday it did not expect President and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani would hold a meeting when they are in New York for the United Nations General Assembly next week.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said more details on individual meetings between Obama and world leaders at the United Nations would be announced early next week, but he did not anticipate one with Rouhani being added to the schedule.
Last year Obama and Rouhani, then the newly elected president, held a historic telephone call but did not get together as some had expected at the U.N. gathering.
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