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February 28th, 2012
04:27 PM ET
Analysis: Obama sees 'load of you know what' from GOP Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama chose the day of the Michigan Republican primary for what might be his highest octane attack on the Republican candidates to date. He hit them where the Obama team believes the GOP has the upper hand: the auto bailout. Speaking to a fired up audience at a United Auto Workers conference in Washington, the president took a swipe at Mitt Romney without naming him telling the crowd, "some even said we should 'let Detroit go bankrupt.'" Later he went after Republican opposition to the bailout by nearly cussing: "They're saying that the problem is that you, the workers, made out like bandits in all of this; that saving the American auto industry was just about paying back unions. Really? Even by the standards of this town, that's a load of you-know-what!" 
February 28th, 2012
10:45 AM ET
Obama looking to Michigan on GOP primary day (CNN) – Michigan is a two hour plane ride from Washington, but President Obama on Tuesday will only have to travel a couple miles north of the White House to campaign there. Close to 2,000 auto workers meeting in the nation’s capital this week constitute a key bloc of support for the president’s reelection campaign as it looks to put Michigan in the win column next November. The White House maintains Obama’s appearance at the annual United Auto Workers Conference isn’t a political event. But the overtones of the president’s impending reelection fight are anything but subtle as he will implicitly contrast his record of supporting a bailout of the auto industry three years ago with that of leading presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The political calculus is obvious: according to the Obama campaign, close to 22 percent of Michigan’s workforce is supported by the auto industry. That amounts to a significant swath of voters in a key swing state who the president is hoping are receptive to his argument that his actions saved hundreds of thousands of jobs. Meanwhile, the Republican White House hopefuls have had to awkwardly navigate their positions that the $80 billion government bailout of the industry was a mistake - a stance that polls show even half of Michigan Republicans disagree with, including the state’s GOP governor. 
February 28th, 2012
08:39 AM ET
Morning Briefing, February 28The 1600 Report's daily roundup of what the White House is reading this morning online and in the papers: Michigan testing ground for doubt on Romney [NYT] More backlash for Santorum’s snob comment [WashPost] New book hits Obama’s economic team [NYT] What’s happened to Obama’s faith council [POLITICO] Obama’s embrace of the Executive Order [Bloomberg] Corporate taxes the next White House battle [POLITICO] 
February 28th, 2012
08:16 AM ET
POTUS' Day Ahead: Shoring up the UAW voteIt's primary day in Michigan for the Republican presidential race and President Obama is taking the opportunity to shore up his own support in the state with a speech before United Auto Workers Tuesday. The president is expected to tout his administration's record in helping rescue the auto industry from the brink of collapse three years ago and save thousands of union jobs in the process. Polls show the government's bailout of the industry is largely popular in Michigan, putting the president on the same side of a majority of voters in this crucial swing state. Meanwhile, the White House can't resist offering a contrast between the president and Mitt Romney, who has awkwardly tried to defend his stance that the government should have let Detroit go through a structured bankruptcy without any bailout funds. Full Schedule after the jump: |
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