Posted on 01/28/2010 12:15:40 PM PST by kcvl
Joe Biden began the town hall meeting introduce Obama at the University of Tampa.
"This single investment will not solve our transportation problem," Biden said. The funding will provide a foundation for a "major change in the way we travel," Biden said.
""We're going to take cars off of congested highways," Biden said. "Most importantly, we're going to be creating jobs."
Obama also spoke to job creation.
"One in ten Americans can't find work," Obama said, "that's why creating jobs has to be our number one priority in 2010.
The president said the commuter rail system could become an engine for job creation.
"There is no reason other countries can build high-speed rail lines and we can't. That's what we're going to do here in Tampa." Obama said.
The president also promised some relief for college students struggling to pay student loans, a well-received sentiment to the crowd at the University of Tampa.
"Nobody should go broke because they go to college."
The president reiterated a point he and in Wednesday night's State of the Union address and reminded the crowd that short-term politics are not as important as long-term bi-partisanship.
"We should all be rooting for America," Obama said. "We have come through a tough year,and a tough decade. This is a new year and there are new opportunities there for the taking."
Obama arrived on Air Force One at the McDill Air Force base in Tampa just after noon; Vice President Joe Biden touched down at the base just after 11 a.m.
Anyone have a protester report?
From the Tampa Tribune:
12:23 p.m. University of Tampa, Anticipation
In anticipation of Obama’s arrival, police are setting up barricades at Kennedy Boulevard and North Boulevard. The 100 or so protesters are split, half on once side of the street, half on the other. Police cars are blocking Kennedy now, backing up what traffic was there.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/28/280937/already-lines-obama-town-hall/news-metro/
some picture from the tampa paper also, it only shows one of the outside protest..
http://www2.tbo.com/photoalbum/2010/jan/28/president-obamas-visit-to-tampa/47/
This boondoggle was voted down by Florida voters in 2004.
Only BO would try to give voters in Florida tax dollars for something that isn’t wanted. Use the money for the space program BO, not a moving graffiti wall.
Glenn Beck said today on his radio show that his team had booked The Sundome in Tampa for the Bold Fresh tour. Apparently it’s sold out for 2 straight nights.
Anyways, he says he got a call from the WH a few days ago asking if they could use the Sundome instead because 0 was coming into town.
Obviously, Glenn didn’t back down.
Thanks, looks like more protesters than store bought thugs in the room. I am sure the attendees were randomly selected.
Any word on tan in a bottle good time Charlie?
And all this for another waste of $8 billion for a choo choo that no one will ride.
Report from the Pinnellas 9/12 group
http://www.pinellas912.org/greatertampabay912.com/site/zclearwater.html
“ The supreme leader was late, and as his massive motorcade came through at a pretty high speed, he was in the 3rd limo and like a great leader with nothing to hide from the citizens, was looking down at his lap as his car went past the demonstrators...he may not want to see us, but he surely heard us! ”
I go over to Miami every once in awhile ... watch the choo choos go down the road, with 4 cars, 4 people on board. It’s absolutely absurd.
The libturds and their mass transit.
Now we have local buses that drive around with a few people on board ... I bet that saves lots of energy.
The light rail system proposed to be built between Tampa and Orlando is dead on arrival. Neither Obama or Biden have a clue. The traffic that moves between Tampa and Orlando and then turning north/south or east/west will not use the light rail because most of it is truck or commercial vehicle generated. The auto traffic also is generally not a point to point transition. These people are about as dumb as they come. Another federal boondoggle going nowhere at taxpayer expense.
Stuck on stupid still in campaign mode and STILL ON MY TV! =.=
University of Tampa? Never heard of it.
What is the proposed destination of this rail line? From where to where?
From Tampa to Orlando
http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/Home_Page.html
Tourist train? I can’t see it being any use as a “commuter” train.... Disney is pushing for it to be built
the comments in the Tampa/St pete area...are against this project....if your get a chance check out
http://www2.tbo.com/home/
Obama tells Tampa audience ‘I won’t stop fighting’
www.baynews9.com
Obama: ‘high speed rail to start right here in Tampa’
“we’ll come back to ride it”
Ticket price estmate...hmmm, so a family of four to take the train from Tampa to Disney area would be about $120 each way....expensive way to get somewhere, can’t see them getting many riders
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=123780&catid=8
FDOT tells us a last minute purchase of a one-way ticket between Tampa and Orlando could run you about $30 and commuters can expect to pay around $10 - $12 each way. These numbers are preliminary since the state has yet to choose the private company which will operate the rail system
Was everyone at the town hall kissing Hussein’s arse? Or were there protestors?
Did the two ladies take any tough questions, or were they all worshipful?
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