Taxpayers to Cover Obama Bus Tour of Battleground States -- ‘He’s the President,’ Says White House
CNSNews ^ www.cnsnews.comTaxpayers to Cover Obama Bus Tour of Battleground States -- ‘He’s the President,’ Says White House Wednesday, August 03, 2011 By Fred Lucas
Washington (CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama’s jobs bus tour will be funded by taxpayers, as he travels through the Midwest states typically viewed as swing states during presidential years.
Obama will begin the bus tour through several Midwestern states beginning Aug. 15, the White House announced on Tuesday, to talk about strengthening jobs and the economy.
“He is very happily getting out into the country again after a very sustained period here in Washington and he looks forward to talking to folks about growing the economy, creating jobs -- we will have more details as I said about the specifics of the trip,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Wednesday.
Carney also said he did not have specifics about precisely where the president would go or what he might be announcing.
CNSNews.com asked Carney, “Is that a campaign event or a presidential event?
Carney answered, “Negative. That is an official event.”
CNSNews.com followed, “So it is being funded by taxpayers in battleground states?”
Carney responded, “He’s the president of the United States.”
Another reporter followed up about whether there was a political nature to the trip.
“The air of cynicism is quite thick,” Carney shot back. “The idea that the president of the United States should not venture forth into the country is ridiculous.”
The reporter said, “I didn’t say that.”
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