Obama, in West Palm, channels Clinton, says ‘we’ve come too far to turn back now’
by Andrew Abramson | September 9th, 2012WEST PALM BEACH – Fresh off the Democratic National Convention, President Obama spoke in front of 6,000 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center today and channeled the biggest star from Charlotte: former President Bill Clinton.
Clinton, whose 48-minute speech at the convention wowed Democrats, was referenced several times by Obama, including one of his opening lines when he quoted a post-debate Tweet about Clinton that said, “He needs to be made secretary of explaining stuff.”
Later, Obama said, “I’m willing to do more with Republicans. I want to reform our tax code so it’s simple and fair, but I also think it makes sense for folks like me to pay higher taxes on our income over $250,000 the same way Bill Clinton had when he was president. The same way he created 23 million new jobs and the biggest budget surplus in history.”
Obama spoke for more than a half hour in front of about cheering fans. His overriding message of the afternoon was, “We’ve come too far to turn back now.”
He received his biggest applause when he championed issues that Democrats believe can win the election: support of immigration, gay marriage and women’s rights.
“You’re that reason that a young immigrant who grew up here, went to school and pledge allegiance to our flag will no longer be deported,” Obama said to huge applause. “You’re the reason we ended don’t ask don’t tell. You’re the reason families are able to say to love ones who served so bravely, ‘Welcome home.’
“Politicians in Washington are trying to decide who can get married and control the choices women should be making about their own health care.”
Just two days before the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Obama referenced the killing of Osama bin Laden.
“I said I’d end the war in Iraq and I did,” Obama said. “I said I’d begin bringing troops from Afghanistan, and we are. And while a new tower rises about the New York skyline, as we pause to remember those that were lost this coming Tuesday on September 11, we know that Al Qaeda is on the path to defeat and Osama bin Laden is dead.”
Obama criticized challenger Mitt Romney for not mentioning Afghanistan in his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination, saying that Romney has no plan for Afghanistan.
Obama credited the affordable health care as helping lower prescription drug costs for seniors. And now Democrats, and Obama himself, are warmly using the term ‘Obamacare’ that was invented by Republicans as an attack Obama.
Before the speech, Congresswoman and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said, “Obamacare. We embrace the term because Obama cares.”
Later, Obama said, “You’re the reason seniors here in Florida pay about $600 less in prescription drugs, because of Obamacare.”
With polls showing Obama up in Ohio and Pennsylvania, he could win the election without winning Florida. But a win in Florida could clinch the election for Obama, and he knows it.
“If we win Palm Beach County, we will win Florida,” Obama said. “And if we win Florida, we will this election.”
Tags: bnblogs
September 9th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Wish he would have broke his back
September 9th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Will not vote for him, regardless of where he stops in. Bye, Bye, Bo
September 9th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
I have no doubt the President will turn Florida Big Blue. He has a great message, says what he means and means what he says. Obama-Biden 2012..
September 9th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Romney and Ryan and than we can all stop crying.
September 9th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
I WILL VOTE FOR HIM!!!!! He’s the real deal… and YES OBAMA CARES!!!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
@Obamahater YOU ARE DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
The Grifter will be evicted 1/13 and America can begin to heal.
Romney / Ryan!!
September 9th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Obama touts infrastructure jobs, yet keeps silence as jobs go to Chinese companies.
He touts everything about jobs but has yet to have a meeting with his jobs council but manages to have over 100 fundraising campaigns.
He gives 1.5 trillion to the Muslim Brotherhood who announced Jihad on the US.
President Barack Obama’s advisers will removed religious terms such as “Islamic extremism” from the central document outlining the U.S. national security strategy and will use the rewritten document to emphasize that the United States does not view Muslim nations through the lens of terror, counter terrorism officials said.
But rewriting the strategy document was another example of Obama putting his stamp on U.S. foreign policy, like his promises to dismantle nuclear weapons and limit the situations in which they can be used.
He is slowly stripping away at our nation and no one sees it. Well, no Democrats.
September 9th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Haha….what a crock. This guy is all BS. His time is up. Get the hell out of the White House!
September 9th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
correcting myself:
Has not met with his job council in over 6 months.
September 9th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
@ WOW! So is this terrorist halfbreed all you blind people want to keep in the WHITEHOUSE! And thank You
September 9th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
R u kdding me!!!! Every other business has to get the ok before he the king makes his photo op visit!!! SOME BIG SURPRISE!!! WHAT A CROCK OF POLITICAL BULL!!! VOTE HIM OUT!!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
I am shocked that USAID is given to Middle Eastern countries enabling them to fight with nuclear weapons, ISrael just bought nuclear missle from Germany with US Taxpayers money? Egypt was just given 2 billion to buy weapons of mass destruction for future Armageddon. US Tax Payers funding future Armageddon in the Middle Eastern World? Say no to Democrats in November I will not enable Armageddon
September 9th, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Obama lost the Jew vote in this country.
Jews are known for two strong views, hating Muslims, and hating Christians.
September 9th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Love Obama…… OBAMA 2012!!!!!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Looks like 4 more years for Obama.
Romney will have more time to think about his taxes.
September 9th, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Jew vote? Half breed? And where are all these facts coming from? Y’all scar me
September 9th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Obama has lost mine and my wife’s votes. Hope and change my behind! All we have left is some change!
September 9th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Obama is not perfect. There is so much to complain but these small complaints.
The bright star is Obamacare, withdrawal from Iraq, slowly turning down Afghanistan military excursion. More power for average citizen less for those that try to buy to corrupt power and manipulate democratic system.
Romney is all about rich getting rich, powerful getting more powerful, selling out government to unscrupulous lobbies, more wars on behalf of Israel lobby that is financing him. US tax payers can not afford more wars. Let other nations fight their own wars.
September 9th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
The lede is not just buried in this story, it isn’t there at all. Does the Post have any grown-up reporters left?
September 9th, 2012 at 8:24 pm
To Joe Average:
Seriously, your little rant there just described Obama to a “T”. He has given taxpayer dollars to his friends who fund his campaign, he has shipped “green jobs” over seas, he has more lobbyists supporting him then we can even count.
We have had 43 straight months of 8+% of unemployment under him and that’s AFTER he spent nearly a trillion dollars, which he promised would lower the unemployment rate to 5.5%
He is backed by Wall Street, yet denounces the money he gets from them. He rebukes our Constitution and rules like a dictator.
And let’s not forget, his own DNC platform was “forced” to re-add Israel & God!
September 9th, 2012 at 8:36 pm
to DRW and the rest of you knuckleheads:
After Clinton’s SURPLUS (while taxes were ‘higher’) – Clinton did what we could afford at the time and gave a TEMPORARY lowering of taxes. TEM-PO-RARY. Bush came in and bankrupt the country by being a proud ‘War President’ (he just LOVED saying that). Never mind that he declared War on the wrong country – costing us $$$ and worse, innocent young soldiers lives.
The billions weekly spent on Bush’s macho fantasy (after the faulty/untrue ‘intelligence’) bankrupt us. And when GW left office we were at a (very close to what we are now) unemployment rate of 7.8%… just as the Country braced for the 2nd Great Depression.
OBAMA cured it. Period. End of story.
September 9th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
47M on Food Stamps, record numbers in poverty, long term unemployment at all time highs, real unemployment 15%, a shrinking labor force, housing market in the toilet, <2% economic growth, $5T+ in new debt, zero leadership, etc etc…and all Barry offers is Class Envy Demagoguery. And ignorant Libs want more.
September 9th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Obama’s economic plan to grow the economy:
Food Stamps and Unemployment.
September 9th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
I am a D and there is no way I am voting. The Democrats and The Republicans have failed us all.
September 9th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Its clear. Obama has no love for America.
September 9th, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Romney plan:
Tax heavens for rich.
Poverty, wars and body bags for poor.
Conquer and divide!
Sell out political power and country resources to a few super rich, enslave politically and economically middle class and poor.
September 9th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Vote this racist, un-American, anti-American, non-American Muslime out of office before he destroys our great Constitutional republic.
R-E-C-L-A-I-M A-M-E-R-I-C-A!
D-E-F-E-A-T O-B-A-M-A!
September 9th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
This guy is lying about everything to get re-elected. When he was elected the first time it was “we won” when he was steamrolling his legislation the first two years, including the massive tax on the middle class, obamacare. Then America said no in the 2010 elections, and obama has been whining ever since, and trampling on the Constitution. Now everybody is his buddy, but you know that he’s not telling the Seniors the truth about obamacare. I’m sure he hasn’t mentioned the 3.8% tax on house sales in the bill. He just tells the Seniors how good they have it, without mentioning until the “death panels” take over.
Obama has had his chance and he has proven unworthy.
It’s time to give Romney and Ryan a chance, because we don’t have anymore time for obama’s incompetence.
September 9th, 2012 at 9:25 pm
I’m voting for Obama because I am one of the underemployed with no health insurance benefits. I have been without health insurance for 3 years. Thankfully I am in good health and working but not making enough to buy it on my own. I hope Gov. Rick Scott comes to his senses and does not stand in the way of people like me trying to get affordable health insurance.
September 9th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Floridamermaid you said it so nicely!
I myself work and make above average salary but I can not understand how the richest nation in the world can not take care of the basic needs of their citizens.
Universal healthcare is natural and obvious in Europe and Canada, and even Cuba (!), national health system was introduced in postwar, poor Great Britain in 1948 but is still waiting to take full existence in USA.
The health care is the greatest achievement of democrats and Obama and he needs 4 more years to make sure it will take root and succeed.
September 9th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Why don’t you talk about the police officer that got killed in his motorcade because he had to come to town!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Gee……
Where are all the pics of President Obama w/ the family of the OFFICER who DIED Protecting his motorcade?!?!?
September 9th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
I will vote for capitalism and individual responsibility and less government. Clinton stood for these things. Obama is no Clinton. Obama is too far to the left. Time for change!
September 9th, 2012 at 10:48 pm
@Tom Jones How dare you try to blame anyone other then the careless driver for what happened, I’m sure his family wouldn’t appreciate your nasty remarks. To stoop that low you must be a Romney supporter.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:02 am
We Americans are soooo impatient. What Pres Obama is trying to unravel takes TIME. Stop being so damn impatient. Everything will work out and be alright financially and economically soon. Overall, we don’t have it THAT bad here in the U.S. Travel to some other countries outside of the U.S. and you’ll see some REAL HARD TIMES. Besides, Moody’s has forecasted that there will be at least 12 million jobs added to our economy in the next four yrs regardless of who the president is because the cycle of the economy being down and coming back simply has to complete itself. No president has much control over this. And the economy will begin to pick up even more right after the election because investors are sitting on the fence and not investing until they see how the political climate shakes out. So I’m not about to let Romney take the credit for something that’s gonna happen anyway. He knows this, that’s why he’s saying that he’s gonna create 12 million new jobs in the next four years and will try to take the credit for it. This credit is reserved for and deserving of Bro. Obama! HELLO!!!
September 10th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Was President Obama specific on how he would save Medicare?
What did he say his plan was?
Or did he not give specifics?
Will he raise medicare age?
Will he raise co payments?
Will he raise deductibles?
Will he “Means Test”-government reviews your savings, investments, home value, your monthly income and adjusts the amount you have withdrawn from your accounts in payment for Medicare.
If President Obama didn’t elucidate what is plan for Medicare is or his plan for fixing Social Security then what are you thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everybody NEEDS to hear President Obama’s Medicare and Social Security plan.
He is not giving details! We need details!
Is President Obama refusing to tell the public exactly what his plan is?
We need to hear those plans in detail.
We don’t want another: ‘we’ll know what the plan is after the election. The President will have more flexibility, we’ll know what’s in it after it is passed.
Everybody is foolish not demanding to know specifically what is in Obama’s plan.
He has not told us! Do you realize that?
The President has not offered up a detailed plan for either Medicare or Social Security programs.
Please find out! Come on! Someone tell me, what specifically is the OBama plan for these programs.
Please elucidate:
September 11th, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Why is Romney hiding his taxes?
September 12th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Any Jew that votes for Obama is clueless! He hates Israel, will do anything to get re-elected !
Average Joe and the Maid to you I say: if you want a better future place your trust in Romney and Ryan!!
I trust these Men. Romney is brilliant and Experienced and has Morals!! He loves this country and he Cares about People. We will all be better off. God bless our country
September 14th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
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