Obama: Maybe Lincoln will "rub off" on GOP in Illinois
(CBS News) For his first stop in a full day of campaigning for re-election, President Obama on Friday headed to his home turf of Chicago -- not far from the campaign stops two of his potential Republican rivals were making ahead of the March 20 Illinois GOP primary.
"Apparently things haven't wrapped up in the other side," Mr. Obama joked to his supporters at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. "My message to all the candidates is, 'Welcome to the land of Lincoln.' I'm thinking maybe some Lincoln will rub off on them while they are here."
Mr. Obama said that Lincoln, the first Republican president, would have sided with his governing philosophy of investing in areas like education and energy, even at times of financial stress.
While Americans remember Lincoln as the leader who saved the union, Mr. Obama said, he also launched the Transcontinental Railroad and the first land-grant colleges.
"In order for America to grow we had to stitch ourselves together," Mr. Obama said.
Incidentally, Newt Gingrich mentioned Abraham Lincoln and the Transcontinental Railroad at a campaign stop in Palatine, Illinois on Wednesday, expressing frustration with both the news media and the GOP establishment for failing to understand his "large ideas" for transforming American politics.
"Let me just talk for a second about technology and grand opportunities," Gingrich said. "Other than Ronald Reagan, I know of no Republican in my lifetime who's been able to talk about this."
Newt Gingrich: No one understands me
Complete coverage: Campaign 2012
Mr. Obama on Friday seemed to agree.
The president said the 2012 election would amount to a "great debate over whose vision will deliver for the American people."
"I don't want this nation to be known just for buying and consuming things," he said, but rather for creating things. He touted the benefits of his health care overhaul, the auto industry bailout, the nearly four million new jobs created in the past two years and his other accomplishments.
Still, Mr. Obama said, "There are still too many Americans out there who are struggling."
Mr. Obama said he's not a perfect man and could never be a perfect president. He also joked that it's not as "trendy" to be involved in the Obama campaign as it was in 2008. "Some of you rolled up those 'Hope' posters and they're in the closet somewhere," he quipped.
But, he added, "I'm more determined and more confident that what drove us in 2008 is the right thing for America than I've ever been before."
By contrast, the president noted how negative the Republican primary has been, with the candidates and their supporters unleashing an "avalanche of attack ads" against each other. Mr. Obama told his audience that when they're watching the ads, they're probably thinking, "This is not appealing to the better angels of our nature."
"But hope springs eternal," Mr. Obama joked, eliciting laughter.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney this morning made a campaign stop in Rosemont, Illinois while Rick Santorum is making stops today in Arlington Heights and Niles, Illinois.
Later on Friday, Mr. Obama will head to Atlanta for more campaigning, including a stop at Tyler Perry Studios.
