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Obama to GOP: 'Stop Drawing Lines in the Sand'

President winds up bus tour, says Republicans blocking economic growth

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 17, 2011 5:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama accused Republicans of keeping a politically motivated stranglehold on the US economy as his three-day bus tour of the Midwest wrapped up today, the Los Angeles Times reports. "I need you to send a message to folks in Washington," he told voters at a seed-production facility in Atkinson, Ill. "Stop drawing lines in the sand, stop engaging in rhetoric instead of getting things done. It’s time to put country ahead of party."

But Obama revealed nothing of his pending jobs plan and said Washington alone could not revive the economy, the AP reports. Republicans dismissed Obama's bus tour as a brazen attempt to secure votes for 2012. "This is an outrage," said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who accused Obama of running "around in his Canadian bus" and acting "as if he is interested in creating jobs in our country." (The New York Post reports that the $1.1 million bus was indeed made in Canada.)

President Obama answers a question from the audience during a town hall meeting at Wyffels Hybrids seed company Wednesday in Atkinson, Illinois. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

President Obama speaks during a town hall meeting at Wyffels Hybrids seed company Wednesday in Atkinson, Illinois. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 44 comments

amalialay

Aug 18, 2011 5:39 AM CDT

Some spnding is required to restart the job engine. http://bit.ly/ng5kZm

SilenceDogood

Aug 18, 2011 5:17 AM CDT

It is apparent that Obama and his handlers believe that taking this message to the American people will have some sort of beneficial effect on his campaign. The problem is it makes him appear very weak, after all he is supposed to be the President of the United States but his message is that of a six year old crying about losing a fight. Most reasonable people will quickly remember just two years ago when Team Obama was ramming through legislation without the promised bi-partisan governance because "they could" with a super majority. I use to think Obama was a pretty sharp guy, now I'm beginning to believe he was simply the right guy, the right race and at the right place in time to win his first term.

stevsie

Aug 18, 2011 2:30 AM CDT

... with rhetoric like that I would be less worried about a lone wolf as much as you should be a pack or better yet an entire country of pissed off wolves.

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Obama to GOP: 'Stop Drawing Lines in the Sand'

President winds up bus tour, says Republicans blocking economic growth

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • GOP • recession • economy • Republicans • Reince Priebus

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