Obama heads to Denver for a reason
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/17/art.denver.gi.jpg caption="Obama will sign his stimulus bill in Denver."]DENVER, Colorado (CNN) - Denver. Why Denver? There are several reasons why President Barack Obama will sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the Stimulus Plan, Tuesday in Colorado's capital city.
First of all, signing the bill outside of Washington allows Obama to escape the nation's capital, where the battle over the $787 billion piece of legislation turned into an ugly partisan battle, and to be close to people who the White House hopes will benefit from the massive bill.
The setting, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, is no accident either. Obama boasts that the stimulus will help create up to a half a million so called "green" jobs in the field of alternative energy. Prior to signing the bill into law, the president and Vice President Joe Biden will tour the museum's solar panel installation project.
Colorado has a growing green energy industry.
"Denver would be as good a place as any to highlight investments, putting people to work in energy jobs; investments that will help long-term growth," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
And finally, the Democrats held their convention in Denver last August, where then-Senator Obama officially accepted his party's presidential nomination. Obama ended up winning Colorado in the presidential contest, one of three western states that swung from the Republicans to the Democrats.
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@patNY – so why did he have to fly ANYWHERE, the Bill was in Washington and he was in Washington?
to maryCO-
Some change.... Bush was prez but your democrats were controlling congress and heading the banking oversight (?)...easy to blame bush, but why you take franks and dodd (dudd) to task as well ???
if you want real change get those jokers out of their roles they so underwhelmingly performed..
Dear GenTwelve,
The President is not trying to avoid and problems by "fleeing" Washington. He is doing what Mr. Bush did not, and that is meeting the "average joes" of the United States. Washington is corrupt and what President Obama is doing is fantastic. He is showing America that he truely cares about what the people want and that he will not be a part of the partisenship battles going on in Washington. This is not a "campaign stunt" rather it is a way to get away from the negative obstructionists and discover what the people of the United States of America wants him to do for them.
I would love to hear from anyone who has any follow-up comments. 🙂
ok, we got it... why does this guy make a show from everything he does?
Fair is fair, I didnt like the fear-mongering Republicans during the elections ergo I do not like the fear-mongering President over the stimulus. Why must we be manipulated by everyone??? Did we elect McSame by accident???
If I oppose the stimulus I am told not to accept any money/guess what there is nothing in the bill for me. While my taxes which I have to send by April 15th will be used for this bill there is no benefit for me.
I am a 55 year old working woman(single mom) own my own home make my mortage payments on time always have and recently finished paying off the last of my debt for my daughter's college education. I leave for work every morning around 6:30 and get home around 7ish. I have voted in every election historical or not and even voted in the 7 years that I lived abroad thru absentee ballot.
I fail to understand why it was necessary to have a senator leave his mother's wake to sign a bill that was not being signed until today and not in Washington? tomorrow another spending announcement to bail out homeowners/where will he go to sell this new bill?
Where were you critics of government during the last 8 years? If you had spoken as you do today, we may not be in this mess that we find ourselves in today. Is this your first involvement in Government and the process, who sparked that interest? Eye candy and sharp! He is that and more..get over it jerks! He is going to the people that voted him in, democracy at its best! Read, watch and learn the PROCESS, the democratic process! I love it!
These Obama haters are worse than the terrorist.
At least he is going to insure that the 30 million + illegal immigrants are going to have a job.
American citizens are on their own.
OK everyone let me get this straight – The Republicans vote no on a bill that no one has the time to read and that's being partisan and therefore bad. The Democrats vote yes on a bill that no one has the time to read and that's not being partisan and therefore good. We now have a spending plan that no one had the time to read and a President that is winging his way to Denver to sign. By the Democrats' definition this is good for the country?
I don't know what the question is, but the answer is Obama. He's doing a fine job.
Are all you naysayers unemployed? Or maybe you are blogging at work instead of doing the jobs you are being paid for? How would John McCain and Sarah Palin be handling this mess Bush got us into?
Do your thing Mr. President....god will continue to bless you!
LET'S ROLL, Mr. President
LET'S ROLL!!!!!!
Good Luck, sir and to the USA.
The main reason he's going to Denver is he gets to fly on that big ole airplane. It seems he likes it pretty well.
patNY February 17th, 2009 11:46 am ET
I wonder, if he were white, would you be raising the same issue.
Are you Dems going to play the race card every time someone says something bad about Obama? It's already old. Obama said he would be different and bipartisan. The Pelosi House bill wasn't either. Obama can't ask for input, then let Pelosi and Reid ignore it, and still claim to be bipartisan. Race has nothing to do with this. Flying to Denver for the signing is just showmanship, and expensive showmanship at that.
I agree with Pat NY, Air Force One is and should be for the President at any time he sees fit.
My suggestion would be to put Ms. Peolsi on economy Jet Blue with a one way ticket to somewhere other than Washington with no chance to get a return flight.
GOD BLESS YOU, MR. PRESIDENT! AND THANK YOU FOR CARING FOR US "LITTLE GUYS" WE ARE BEHIND YOU ALL THE WAY!!!
This discussion about Air Force One is moot. He is the president of the U N I T E D S T A T E S, not Crawford, Texas. So yes, in this day and age, he's going to have to travel throughtout the US, and yes the world. Get over yourselves. He's doing his job, you know the one that the majority of Americans sent him to Washington, D.C. to do–that job.
And BTW, Air Force One is probably the safest aircraft for the most powerful man in the world. Our tax dollars were used, probably millions of dollars to beef up the plane so that it would be safe. Also, the president's vehicles and other items have to travel with him. So stop tripping, how are you going to put all of that on JetBlue? Take your meds and leave my president alone.
Where's Jon in CA?? Bristol Palin is waiting one article up^, and she says it's gonna cost him 4-bits next time.
Conservative right-wingnut posters are so funny. Your hypocrisy is hillarious. (that was alliteration)
Chill out@Kinda like Adolf Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin huh.
Republicans are a disgrace.
Running the country down and now they seem to know it all.
S
hame on you. I hope americans will remember that in 4 years.
I can understand why he wants to Get out of Washington! Great Job Obama better to be with the People that voted For you then be around the Do nothing Republicans In DC!
The country is in financial crisis and Mr. Obama heads thousands of miles away to Denver to sign the bill. wht is the cost to the U.S. taxpayers for him to fly to Denver – for political points?? He could just have signed the bill in Washington with the gaggle of reporters to flash the pictures and record his speech. It is a waste of money to fly so far away just to sign a bill – a huge waste. The American people are hurting financially and the President shows no signs of his own sacrifice to show to the American people he understands their pain. Huggin someone at a speech is symbloic, but actions speak louder than words. Show us your pain Mr. President.