President Obama this morning loaded his family into one the frightening black buses recently commissioned by the White House and headed to Ohio, where the Obamas will live at a rented home in the suburbs of Columbus though Election Day 2012.

Ohio, with its 18 electoral votes, is viewed as a critical presidential battleground state – a must-win for Obama. The president is headed to Ohio today for the 3,495th time of his presidency. This time, he won’t be returning to Washington.

White House officials denied that the move had anything to do with politics.

“The president really likes Ohio,” said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. “He thinks it’s a beautiful state with lots of – you know – stores and streetlights and stuff. That’s why he goes there twice a week. At some point, it just made sense for him to move there.”

Indeed, OMB Director Jack Lew said Obama’s decision to live in Ohio instead of flying there constantly would save taxpayers approximately $7 billion a year.

“I can’t think of a more effective, more immediate money-saving measure this government can take than to have the president move to Ohio,” Lew said. “The cost of running Air Force One out there all the time was not only raising the federal deficit, it was putting pressure on world oil prices.”

Carney insisted Obama’s decision to stay in Columbus only through Election Day was a coincidence.

“The lease is up at the end of November 2012,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the election.”

Carney said the Obamas would be living at a “modest” seventeen bedroom home on six acres of land with two swimming pools, a tennis court, a putting green, a driving range, and a jousting arena.

“It’s not what it seems,” Carney said. “Some of the bedrooms don’t have walk-in closets.”

Horrified at the thought of moving to Columbus, an irate First Lady Michelle Obama attacked White House political adviser David Plouffe with a zucchini from the White House garden.

“Ohio? Are you kidding me? This is the dumbest of all your dumb ass ideas,” she was heard saying as she smacked Plouffe repeatedly with the zucchini. “I’d rather go colonize Mars.”

Secret Service agents restrained the first lady as she reached for a cantaloupe. Plouffe was treated for minor injuries and a concussion at George Washington University Hospital and released.

Mrs. Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, said she would be staying in the White House.

“There’s no way anyone in Ohio can match the shrimp salad I get here,” Mrs. Robinson told reporters at a rare news conference.

Obama today will, as previously scheduled, visit the Brent-Spence Bridge bridge, which connects Cincinnati to Covington, Ky.

Local officials declined to comment on whether anyone who has been adversely affected by the Obama economy has jumped off the bridge.

Carney woud not say specifically whether, when the Obamas leave Ohio, they will move back to the White House.

“It depends on if the lease is up there too,” he

Political commentary from Andrew Malcolm

Oops, Obama touts his jobs plan today at an Ohio bridge that won't qualify

You know all those rusting bridges that President Obama wants to spend billions more dollars repairing to allegedly stimulate the economy?

He's headed out to one today which he's described as a "bridge that needs repair between Ohio and Kentucky that's on one of the busiest trucking routes in North America." It is on a busy trucking route, spanning the Ohio River between Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati.

It's the Brent Spence Bridge. It doesn't really need repairs. It's got decades of good life left in its steel spans. It's just overloaded. The bridge was built to handle 85,000 cars and trucks a day, which seemed like a lot back during construction in the Nixon era.

Today, the bridge sort of handles more than 150,000 vehicles a day with frequent jam-ups.

So, plans are not to repair or replace the Brent Spence Bridge. But to build another bridge nearby to ease the loads.

But here's the problem, as John Merline graphically notes here, that could screw up all those envisioned photo op shots of the Democrat and the traffic:

The president's jobs bill is designed for "immediate" highway spending.

And the new $2.3 billion Cincy bridge is not scheduled to even start construction for probably four years, long after Republicans have scheduled the Obama presidency for completion.

And without delays, it wouldn't be finished until 2022, when no one will be counting Obama's rounds of golf.

Politicians hate these kinds of messy distractions when they pick a place to make a symbolic statement. But Brent Spence was so tempting linking, as it does, the home states of GOP House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

But there is some possible good news for President Obama: The $447-billion jobs bill that he wanted passed "right now" back in early September is stuck in a legislative traffic jam in the Senate.

Fellow Democrat Harry Reid, the majority leader who can run that place like a school principal whenever he wants, is aware of opposition to the measure among some of his own caucus members.

And, well, darn it, wouldn't you know, Reid just can't seem to find a place for Obama's jobs bill in the chamber's overloaded schedule. As a result, as of right now Obama's "right now" jobs bill won't come up until later in the fall, possibly much later.

In a way the scheduling doesn't matter. Since the Democrat in the White House would rather have Republican opposition to it than any of its job-creating provisions, so he can have obstructionist charges for next year's campaign.

But if Congress works the way it usually does, maybe the bridge-repair money will be delayed a few years until the president's photo op Brent Spence Bridge enhancement bridge project is actually shovel-ready.

hiroad Respected Neighbor The Hilltop 5055 Posts	Obama Moves to Ohio by Keith Koffler on September 22, 2011, 10:05 am President Obama this morning loaded his family into one the frightening black buses recently commissioned by the White House and headed to Ohio, where the Obamas will live at a rented home in the suburbs of Columbus though Election Day 2012. Ohio, with its 18 electoral votes, is viewed as a critical presidential battleground state – a must-win for Obama. The president is headed to Ohio today for the 3,495th time of his presidency. This time, he won’t be returning to Washington. White House officials denied that the move had anything to do with politics. “The president really likes Ohio,” said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. “He thinks it’s a beautiful state with lots of – you know – stores and streetlights and stuff. That’s why he goes there twice a week. At some point, it just made sense for him to move there.” Indeed, OMB Director Jack Lew said Obama’s decision to live in Ohio instead of flying there constantly would save taxpayers approximately $7 billion a year. “I can’t think of a more effective, more immediate money-saving measure this government can take than to have the president move to Ohio,” Lew said. “The cost of running Air Force One out there all the time was not only raising the federal deficit, it was putting pressure on world oil prices.” Carney insisted Obama’s decision to stay in Columbus only through Election Day was a coincidence. “The lease is up at the end of November 2012,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the election.” Carney said the Obamas would be living at a “modest” seventeen bedroom home on six acres of land with two swimming pools, a tennis court, a putting green, a driving range, and a jousting arena. “It’s not what it seems,” Carney said. “Some of the bedrooms don’t have walk-in closets.” Horrified at the thought of moving to Columbus, an irate First Lady Michelle Obama attacked White House political adviser David Plouffe with a zucchini from the White House garden. “Ohio? Are you kidding me? This is the dumbest of all your dumb ass ideas,” she was heard saying as she smacked Plouffe repeatedly with the zucchini. “I’d rather go colonize Mars.” Secret Service agents restrained the first lady as she reached for a cantaloupe. Plouffe was treated for minor injuries and a concussion at George Washington University Hospital and released. Mrs. Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, said she would be staying in the White House. “There’s no way anyone in Ohio can match the shrimp salad I get here,” Mrs. Robinson told reporters at a rare news conference. Obama today will, as previously scheduled, visit the Brent-Spence Bridge bridge, which connects Cincinnati to Covington, Ky. Local officials declined to comment on whether anyone who has been adversely affected by the Obama economy has jumped off the bridge. Carney woud not say specifically whether, when the Obamas leave Ohio, they will move back to the White House. “It depends on if the lease is up there too,” he September 22nd 2011 Report Reply

hiroad Respected Neighbor The Hilltop 5055 Posts	Political commentary from Andrew Malcolm Oops, Obama touts his jobs plan today at an Ohio bridge that won't qualify September 22, 2011 \| 6:02am You know all those rusting bridges that President Obama wants to spend billions more dollars repairing to allegedly stimulate the economy? He's headed out to one today which he's described as a "bridge that needs repair between Ohio and Kentucky that's on one of the busiest trucking routes in North America." It is on a busy trucking route, spanning the Ohio River between Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati. It's the Brent Spence Bridge. It doesn't really need repairs. It's got decades of good life left in its steel spans. It's just overloaded. The bridge was built to handle 85,000 cars and trucks a day, which seemed like a lot back during construction in the Nixon era. Today, the bridge sort of handles more than 150,000 vehicles a day with frequent jam-ups. So, plans are not to repair or replace the Brent Spence Bridge. But to build another bridge nearby to ease the loads. But here's the problem, as John Merline graphically notes here, that could screw up all those envisioned photo op shots of the Democrat and the traffic: The president's jobs bill is designed for "immediate" highway spending. And the new $2.3 billion Cincy bridge is not scheduled to even start construction for probably four years, long after Republicans have scheduled the Obama presidency for completion. And without delays, it wouldn't be finished until 2022, when no one will be counting Obama's rounds of golf. Politicians hate these kinds of messy distractions when they pick a place to make a symbolic statement. But Brent Spence was so tempting linking, as it does, the home states of GOP House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. But there is some possible good news for President Obama: The $447-billion jobs bill that he wanted passed "right now" back in early September is stuck in a legislative traffic jam in the Senate. Fellow Democrat Harry Reid, the majority leader who can run that place like a school principal whenever he wants, is aware of opposition to the measure among some of his own caucus members. And, well, darn it, wouldn't you know, Reid just can't seem to find a place for Obama's jobs bill in the chamber's overloaded schedule. As a result, as of right now Obama's "right now" jobs bill won't come up until later in the fall, possibly much later. In a way the scheduling doesn't matter. Since the Democrat in the White House would rather have Republican opposition to it than any of its job-creating provisions, so he can have obstructionist charges for next year's campaign. But if Congress works the way it usually does, maybe the bridge-repair money will be delayed a few years until the president's photo op Brent Spence Bridge enhancement bridge project is actually shovel-ready. September 22nd 2011 Report Reply

Muscatine

A Bridge Too Far

Obama Moves to Ohio

Political commentary from Andrew Malcolm

Oops, Obama touts his jobs plan today at an Ohio bridge that won't qualify

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