(CNN) – It's no coincidence President Obama has traveled to key swing states to push his massive stimulus measure, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Sunday.
Barbour, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said Obama's recent travel is an indication that the new president is already running for reelection.
"He's going to those places for a reason," Barbour said on CNN's State of the Union. "I mean David Axelrod, who's his campaign consultant/manager/guru really is one of the brightest, most capable people in American politics. And so this is what we've become accustomed to, the perpetual campaign."
In the last few weeks, the president has visited Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, and Colorado - all states that voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election but flipped to the Democrat's side in 2008. Obama has also visited Arizona - the home state of his former rival, Sen. John McCain, and a state he'd like to turn blue in 2012.
The White House has said the president specifically visited those states because they are among the hardest hit by the nations sputtering economy and home foreclosure crisis.
From CNN Politics
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The GOP probably would have voited for a stimulus if they had been a part of it. They had NO INPUT AT ALL. Pelosi hogged it and wrote it all and then she and Reid and Obama tried to ram it through. In the future it might be nice to ask some of the Republicans for their suggestions BEFORE the bills are written. They dont take too kindly to being told – "this is an emergency , dont read it , just sign it or else. Then Obama waited 4 days to stage his photo opp and run up the Air force One bills by flying to the swing state of Colorado. Bam Bam you may have fooled some people but you havent fooled all the people. If you are so concerned with States that are really having problems then why didnt you go to Nevada- number one State for foreclosures. ?? OOps – Harry Reid lives there and he is already promising them alot of pork.
The worst thing to happen to this country is called: republicans.
These people keep at it as if they have not done enough damage to the country. The people are beginning to see the light and that they are bad for the country as a whole, The tide started to turn and I hope they, the republicans, in spite of all their hatred and No strategy will be gone form power for the next 50 years. As it has happened before. So it shall again.
The CNN ticker has gotten quite lame. First, they have a story that says that most democrats think the media is fair to Obama and most Republicans think the media is too soft. Then they run this little bit about a republican governor criticizing Obama. Really? Is a republican criticizing the democratic administration? Wow. That's some breaking news right there.
Leesburg: how dare you come on here and say Obama is all talk. Coming from someone obviously as ignorant as you that statement has no merit. If you know anything about Obama or what he has done as a senator then you would never say something like that. GO DO SOME RESEARCH!! That goes for everyone out there making erroneous statements... do your research people. I am sick of coming on these sites and reading a bunch of people's blogs who think they know something... when they don't.
Talking here to the people in the middle, the independents and the ones not sure about either party. No need to talk to the far right or left. Waste of time. Obama is a democratic socialist, so are Pelosi and Reid. They are not Marxists. I guess we'll see how this brand of socialism works. He/They have 4 years and the meter is ticking. Bush was not a true Republican/Conservative. He was a fluke, a mutant. You can't evaluate the conservative position until the Republican party figures out what the hell they are and until they reconnect with the views of the majority of the american people. Unless you are a die hard left leaner you need to wait until the dust settles within the GOP before you decide. And forget about Bush. Historians will have a hard time determining what the plan was because there was no plan.
With all due repect to the governor of my state, that is a petty and irresponsible remark to make. Mr. Barbour can grandstand if he wants to impress his Rebublican brothers, play the party game, but in the end he should have the people of Mississippi in mind before anything else. I have only lived here for four years, and there is a hell of a lot of poverty, ignorance and racism that is holding this state back. Too bad the "good ole boy" mentality is still so strong down here.
Who cares what Barbour says? Why is this top news?
Should have been "Obama in perpetual campaign, GOP governor says",
Absolutely. Please report news.
Thanks
President O Blah Blah is all talk and no substance. He is inexperienced and it shows. His decisions to date have been poor. He is in over his head.
"The White House has said the president specifically visited those states because they are among the hardest hit by the nations sputtering economy and home foreclosure crisis."
And that's also why they voted for Obama. They were tired of what 8 years of Republican rule did to them.
You'd think people supposedly knowledgeable about politics and news could put 2 and 2 together.
um yeah probably and thats why he will be a 2 term president
Isn't it funny how Republicans invariably project their own failures, weaknesses and faults onto their opponents, apparently believing that makes it impossible to see those flaws in themselves. Actually, to answer my own question - no, it has long since ceased to be funny, and is now just sad and maddening.
@ Pat When is your next appointment with your therapist? I suggest you go early.
There is truth that the President is spending more time on the road than he should. He got his consensus with his election. I suggest that he put more time into working with Congress to move the USA toward recovery and stability.
Unlike Barbour, Obama do not shun others simply because they did not vote for him. It shows Obama's character. He is representing all Americans, whether they voted for him or not. Even if he is using that platform to win over those who have been mentally and intellectually corrupted by the GOP rhetoric, so be it. All Americans deserved to live and experience another version of America that is more progressive and predicated on intelligent leadership.
And what would anyone say the GOP is doing? They are playing with our promises from Obama and they are calling looking out for the rest of us! Actually what they are doing is covering their collective fat as....well, you know what I mean!
Am I mad? Hell, yes!
Many of you just don't get it. The success of the stimulus plan will depend more upon the public confidence it creates than the actual programs implemented. If people believe that their government is helping to turn the economy around, they will express that confidence in the form of new/sustained spending and business ventures. Without public confidence, any plan will fail – the economy is bigger than our ability to manipulate it. To the extent that Obama travels around the country to sell his plan, the more power to him. It's really no different than what individuals do in corporate offices everyday.
the governor is right obama has been running for reelection since day 1, and I believe that its wrong. Obama needs to do the job he was elected to do, not let harry and nancy and their misrable crew run the country. Obama is a playboy ,hollywood star. he has never done a thing in washington except talk.
Leesburg, correction- two years in the senate. He campaigned for two, and was not there long enough to even learn the ropes.
That's what presidents do, when they're able, i.e., talk with and listen to people. Would you have it otherwise Mr. Barbour? Bush had a problem formulating complex thoughts and was not comfortable and unable to deal with difficult material.
Barbour is a moron from the most obese state in the Union.
And like Bush didn't have photo ops and stuff (anyone remember "mission accomplished"). If these republicans spent as much time trying to help fix things rather than discussing stuff like this, we might get somewhere.
Barbour is just spouting off. Campaigning is an act to get you into office without being able to take actions on your words. As Obama is already in office...and is taking actions on his words...he is clearly not campaigning. He still has to give speeches to rally support for his ideas and actions. That is something every President has done. Give his guy a chance and stop criticizing. I don't see anyone else stepping up during this tough time...especially you, Mr Barbour.
We all should back this President and hope that he succeeds, for if he doesn't we all faill.
He sorta has too. Not in office yet and people are firing up the torches! WTH is up with the RNC?? They won't support him, won't help him, go on a media frenzy telling the nation out country is going to crash and burn because of him, start using the term "generational theft" as if all the debt, all the war, all the destruction on our climate and environment, all the international hostility is Obama's fault. What do you expect the man to do?? Keep it up RNC. I hope the only thing that crashes and burns from all of this is your negative party.
PRESIDENT Obama is no longer President-ELECT. He has the REAL presidential seal in front of every podium and on his Air Force One jacket.
The time is NOW for PRESIDENT Obama to LEAD! Enough of the campaigning and bring us the CHANGE he sooo promised the 66,882,230 who voted for him and the 58,343,671 skeptics who didn't.
MR PRESIDENT...take the reins of this great nation! As said in YOUR military...LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET OUT OF THE WAY! IF the task is too big for you and your OJT isn't panning out...be honest with us and let us know YOU ARE IN OVER YOUR HEAD!
Haley Barbour is a former RNC chairman who runs one of the reddest of red states. Who gives two sh–ts what this partisan hack has to say.