Obama in Cleveland
Photo credit: Getty Images
June 13th, 2012
06:38 PM ET

Obama in Cleveland

President Obama will deliver a speech at Cuyahoga Community College in the battleground state of Ohio Thursday in his latest attempt to paint the election as a choice between what he describes as his forward moving vision for the economy that aids the middle class and the proposals from Mitt Romney that are based on the failed policies of the past and disproportionately hurt working Americans.

The chosen community college has won praise for retraining programs in biotechnology, wind power and manufacturing, areas the Obama administration has promoted and stressed as part of his plans to increase job opportunities in the U.S.

Obama and Romney are both scheduled to be in the state Thursday following poll numbers that show the race continues to be competitive. The state has consistently been a battle ground in presidential politics. Former President George W. Bush won the state in 2004 and 2000, but former President Bill Clinton won it in 1996 and 1992, and George H.W. Bush captured the state in 1988


Topics: 2012 Election • Economy
Obama, Romney campaigns in rare agreement: Text them money!
June 13th, 2012
04:07 PM ET

Obama, Romney campaigns in rare agreement: Text them money!

(CNN) – Could the national conventions become more than just political rallies? That's what one political expert predicts with the Federal Elections Commission ruling that will allow people to text donations to the campaign of their choice.

"You now have the ability to turn the political conventions to a texting telethon," said Mark Armour, president of Armour Media, a political advertising firm that advocated for the change with the FEC. "You can even put the number to text on every TV spot. The potential is almost unlimited, and it opens up an entirely new fundraising stream."

Armour, a former press secretary to Al Gore, says the ruling that came Monday will eliminate some of the barriers that inhibit people from contributing to a candidate. You don't need a credit card. You don't have to walk to a mailbox. You just type a number into a cell phone, something most people take with them everywhere they go.

"Bigger picture, this is democracy with the small 'd,' " he said. "Now, millions of Americans with their $50 can become the antidote to the super PACs."

The FEC rejected a similar appeal in 2010, citing record-keeping concerns. But the companies that brought the current appeal - Red Blue T LLC, ArmourMedia Inc. and m-Qube Inc. - devised a work-around that met FEC requirements.

Here's how it will work: An aggregator will track texted donations. Donors will be allowed to send up to $50 a month, the maximum an individual can give anonymously to a candidate or PAC. Texted donations will max out after $200. If someone tries to send more, the aggregator will reject it. The contribution then appears directly on the donor's phone bill.

Both the Romney and Obama presidential campaigns wrote letters in support of the change.

FULL POST

POTUS Day Ahead: Presidential Medal of Freedom dinner
(Martin Dougherty/ CNN)
June 13th, 2012
07:38 AM ET

POTUS Day Ahead: Presidential Medal of Freedom dinner

President Obama has a mostly quiet Wednesday on tap at the White House. In the afternoon, he will welcome Israeli President Shimon Peres for a closed-press bilateral meeting in the Oval Office before heading across the street for a small fundraiser at the nearby W Hotel. In the evening, the president and first lady will host Peres for dinner in the East Room where Obama will present the leader with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian award in the United States. The dinner will be followed by a reception.

Here's the schedule as released by the White House: FULL POST


Topics: Daily Schedule