Folksy Obama glides into campaign mode

Yahoo ^ | 4/6/11 | Jeff Mason - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

FAIRLESS HILLS, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – Dogged by a budget battle at home, President Barack Obama pitched energy plans and tested campaign themes on Wednesday in his first trip outside Washington since launching his re-election bid.

Obama, who hopes to boost renewable fuels while cutting oil imports by a third in roughly a decade, visited a company in Pennsylvania that makes wind turbines in an effort to highlight his commitment to boosting production of wind power and other "clean" fuels.

Though Obama has promised not to shift to political campaigning while his "inbox" is full with domestic and foreign policy challenges, the trip is a template for the coming months: rolling out policy priorities that the White House hopes will help define the presidential race in 2012.

He plans a similar trip to Indiana on Friday.

The venue and Obama's folksy style underscored the political nature of the event.

He spoke in front of a huge American flag, took off his suit jacket to appear less formal, joked with questioners in the crowd and paced casually on the stage away from the presidential podium.

Obama told the audience he had kept pledges he made three years ago -- and sounded like a candidate as he did so.

[NormsRevenge]

President Barack Obama listens during a town hall discussion about clean energy while visiting Gamesa Technology Corporation in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, April 6, 2011. REUTERS/Larry Downing

[NormsRevenge]

a town hall discussion about clean energy ?

—

in a coal state, no less.

[DallasDeb]

So, the first two years of his administration, he’s been traveling all over the world. The last two years he’s campaigning. What a great job he has! Hope it’s his last.

[sunmars]

hence why he’s starting the campaign 19 months before the election, the guy is in perpetual campaign mode, its all he knows to do.

We’ll all be round the bend listening to him campaign for 19 months, he may just have turned everyone off by then.

[bgill]

Though Obama has promised not to shift to political campaigning while his "inbox" is full with domestic and foreign policy challenges

The jokes just write themselves.

[MissesBush]

I see the media-gasm over this turd’s re-election has begun.

[fhayek]

I sense a pattern. In the Senate, he did nothing for two years, and ran for president for two years. As president, he has done nothing for two years, and he will run for president for two years. I can’t imagine what a second Obama term would look like.

[NormsRevenge]

media-gasm

Jaaa.

I like that, btw. :-]

[relictele]

Folksy? With that patronizing schoolmarm accent he adopts?

Pass me the sick bucket.

[sunmars]

it would be four years of partying as he wouldnt have to face the public again, its will be 4 years of holidays at the taxpayers expense.

[fhayek]

Obama told the audience he had kept pledges he made three years ago -- and sounded like a candidate as he did so.

Really? Like closing Gitmo? Or getting out of Iraq? How about a transparent presidency, affordable health care, lower unemployment? Where is that 'you lie!' guy when you need him?

[bvw]

As “folksy” — exactly so — as any con-man of a snake oil salesman.

[Red_Devil 232]

According to this it will be folksy!

My ass!

[Salamander]

“the guy is in perpetual campaign mode, its all he knows to do.”

Actually, he’d have a great career as a 3 card Monty guy on a street corner, somewhere.

[ncfool]

Should the annointed one be in Washington, DC. instead of out on the stump trail. Don’t we have a budget crisis and three wars going? I bet he is making sure to hit a couple of big fundrasing stops while out on the trail....

[rockvillem]

He can affect a “folksy” tone I guess, but it takes the mainstream media cheerleaders to use that word when the guy combines frighteningly high self-regard and utter contempt for America and Americans. “Folksy”???

[Doc Savage]

How can someone write this sh*t without puking or committing suicide?????????????????????

[SpaceBar]

From now until election time, we should post nothing but pictures of Obama golfing, stuffing his face, slurping ice cream, flipping off the camera, and throwing pitches like the effeminate gangly moron he is.

[rockvillem]

and throwing pitches like the effeminate gangly moron he is.

C'mon, stop beating around the bush. What do you REALLY think about his baseball skills? :)

Watching him throw a ball tells you everything you need to know about how much of an ALIEN this guy is. He didn't grow up in the same America as 99.99999% of us guys who are around the same age and who can throw a baseball.

[jmacusa]

Yeah but this time around it’s ‘’sloppy seconds’’. I really don’t think that ‘’ Dr. Obamas Hopey Changey Magic Road Show’’ is going to pull it off again. He’s so 2008.