Obama In Michigan Monday

Detroit (WWJ)  -- Illinois Senator Barack Obama is spending Monday in Michigan.  The expected Democratic presidential nominee has two campaign events and a fund-raiser scheduled. 

In the morning, Obama discussed his economic proposals at Kettering University in Flint. "These are challenging times. That’s why I spent last week talking about immediate steps we need to take to provide working Americans with relief," Obama said.

"A broad-based, middle class tax cut, to help offset the rising cost of gas and food. A foreclosure prevention fund, to help stabilize the housing market.  A health care plan that lowers costs and gives those without health insurance the same kind of coverage members of Congress have. A commitment to retirement security that stabilizes Social Security, and provides workers a means to increase savings.  And a plan to crack down on unfair and sometimes deceptive lending in the credit card and housing markets, to help families climb out of crippling debt, and stay out of debt in the first place."

"We can’t simply return to the strategies of the past," he said, "For we are living through an age of fundamental economic transformation." Click here to read the complete speech.
 
Listen to Obama's speech:

Part 1: 

Part 2: 

Later, Obama was scheduled to attend an early evening fund-raiser in Detroit. That will be followed by an 8 p.m. rally at Joe Louis Arena, open to the public.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm told WWJ in a live interview that she plans to be at all three of the stops. When asked about Obama's running mate options, Granholm--who initially put her support behind Hillary Clinton--stopped short of naming names. 

"I think he should pick whoever it is that will get him to the White House.  (Hillary) would be a fine choice but this is his choice.  I think he's going to do an awful lot of research into the various candidates.  It's ultimately his call," Granholm said.

Meantime, at Joe Louis Arena, WWJ's Vickie Thomas reported that Obama supporters were there early Monday ahead of his visit.

Regina Taylor of Farmington Hills was among the hundreds of volunteers helping get the venue ready Sunday and Monday.  "I am so excited!  I couldn't sleep.  I went to bed at about 2 a.m. and got back up at 6 a.m.   No alarm clock, just Obama," Taylor said.

Obama has another event planned Tuesday in Wayne County.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain is expected to campaign hard for Michigan's working-class voters, many of whom helped him win the state's 2000 GOP primary.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, in a teleconference set up by the Michigan Republican Party, said Obama's policies would hurt the state's middle class. Rogers said those policies would raise taxes on coal and natural gas and lead to higher gasoline prices.``This guy is completely out of touch with the average Michigan family,'' said Rogers, a Brighton Republican.

Following Obama's speech in Flint, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds released the following statement:

"Barack Obama's agenda to raise taxes and isolate America from foreign markets will not get our economy back on track or create new jobs. Even Barack Obama admits that it's poor economic judgment to want to raise taxes while our economy is struggling. Even Barack Obama's advisors admit that his trade policies will harm our economy. To help create jobs in America, we need to lower taxes and open up foreign markets to American goods. Americans cannot afford Barack Obama's 'change' that takes us back to the failed policies of the past."

Read more at WWJ's Politics Page

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