Michelle Obama Visits Davie, Tampa, Jacksonville Thursday
DAVIE (CBSMiami) – First Lady Michelle Obama made a whirlwind trip to the Sunshine State on Thursday to attend a trio of events for the Democratic National Committee and to drum up support for her husband's re-election.
She started her trip in Jacksonville.where she spoke at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.
According to a transcript of her speech released by The White House, Mrs. Obama ran through a list of her husband's accomplishments and tried to rally voters to work for her husband's re-election.
She also focused on the American Jobs Act the President proposed recently that has met with resistance in Congress.
"(The President) is going to keep fighting for what are common-sense jobs proposals -- whether it's tax cuts for workers, tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed veterans, jobs for teachers and construction workers, job training for unemployed or low-income folks, rebuilding our crumbling schools, refurbishing vacant foreclosed homes and businesses," Mrs. Obama said, according to a transcript of her speech.
Also in Jacksonville, she met with culinary students from Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology High who won the "Cooking up Change" national healthy cooking contest sponsored by the Healthy Schools Campaign.
The contest challenged students to create nutritious, cost effective and delicious school lunches consisting of an entrée and two side dishes.
Mrs. Obama, who serves as the Honorary National President of the Girls Scouts, also met girls from a local chapter who are involved in healthy eating and physical activity efforts.
She next stopped in Tampa where she will talk to students from John Sexton Elementary School which received an award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for its health and wellness efforts. The school was recognized for its efforts to provide healthier snacks in school, replace food-based school fundraisers with healthy alternatives, and improve their physical activity offerings with longer recess times and a running club.
Mrs. Obama's final stop was in Davie where she spoke at a Democratic National Committee reception at the Signature Grand. People who attended the event said they are ready to work for her husband's re-election in 2012.
"I'm a supporter of universal health care and I think it was worth the time he spent trying to get that legislation through Congress," William Holmes told CBS 4's Carey Codd.
"For me, just in the first two years he got my son health insurance and he saved my house," said Wendy Bleakley.
A dozen members of Occupy Ft. Lauderdale rallied outside the event to protest the $500 a ticket event. For $25,000, a person can become an event co-host which gets the 10 seats at a front row table, a special reception and two pictures with Mrs. Obama.
"They're spending money to get their own agendas done and that means that when these representatives they go back to Congress what they're doing is working for people who are spending money on them not for the average citizen," said member Michael Howson.
Members of the Broward Tea Party also rallied outside the event, criticizing the President's policies and spending proposals.
"If we can't figure out how to stop these people from their ridiculous wasteful spending then it's going to destroy this country," said member Ed Bender.
