Obama talks recession in Clintonville backyard

President Barack Obama visited Columbus on Wednesday for the second time in as many months, this time in a more informal setting.

In an open forum for one local family and more than 30 neighbors in the family's backyard, the president touched on issues such as the economy and health care.

Obama arrived at the Kanawha Avenue home of Joe and Rhonda Weithman on the city's north side around 10:30 a.m. where he held a brief discussion with the Weithmans and their two children at the kitchen table.

Following the short conversation, the Weithmans and the president emerged from the family's back door and made their way to the backyard where they were greeted by a standing ovation from the awaiting neighbors.

"I'll be honest with you; sometimes when you're in Washington you get caught up in particular legislative battles, the media spin on certain issues, and sometimes you lose touch in terms of what the folks are talking about around the kitchen table," said a seemingly relaxed Obama in a shirt and tie with sleeves rolled up. "One of the ways that I stay in touch is through events like this."

Joined by fellow Democrats Gov. Ted Strickland, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, Sen. Sherrod Brown and Mayor Michael Coleman, the president began by addressing a pressing issue: the economy.

"Slowly but surely, we are moving in the right direction. We're on the right track," Obama said. "The economy is getting stronger. It really suffered a big trauma. We're notgoing to get all 8 million jobs that were lost back overnight."

The Weithmans were chosen for this event because of the effect Obama's stimulus plan has had on their lives. Joe's struggling architecture firm got work because of a police station renovation funded by the president's plan, and Rhonda received tax credit subsidies on her health insurance plan after she was laid off.

After the president's nine-minute opening statement, he opened up the floor to neighbors who had questions. Obama answered nine questions during a period of more than 45 minutes, ranging from health care to education to the housing market.

"We can't go back to doing things the way we were doing them. We've got to go forward," Obama said. "That's what we're trying to do and hopefully as we continue over the next several months, the next several years, we're going to see a Columbus and an Ohio and a United States of America that is going to be stronger than it was when this crisis struck. I am absolutely confident of that, but we've got more work to do."

With a new Gallup poll released prior to the president's visit showing his approval had dropped to 44 percent, many questioned whether the visit would really help Gov. Ted Strickland in his campaign for re-election. Strickland dismissed those worries.

"Truly I don't pay attention to a lot of polls because they go up and down," he said. "The truth is, certain things could happen and the president could be at 60 percent next week.

"I am happy he is here. I think he is a good leader, I think he is doing the right things for the country and I am happy that he has come to Ohio to talk about it," Strickland added. "I would love to have him in Ohio as much as he can find time to come here."

Neighbors who attended the event echoed Strickland.

"To take the time out to come to middle America in Columbus, Ohio, to come see a group of families in one neighborhood is a pretty special thing," said Aaron McGreevy, one of the nine people who posed questions to Obama. "I am sure not all of us always agree with all of the politics in the Democratic community, but at the same time I thought he was willing to take questions that he had no preparation for and he allowed us to do an open forum which I think speaks very well to how much he cares about trying to find out what people really think."

Lt. Joe Richard of the Columbus Division of Fire, also in attendance, agreed with McGreevy and said he believes it is the duty of politicians to have a pulse on what the people are thinking.

"When we elect our officials they should be of the people and for the people and having this kind of forum allows us to feel connected and that is important," Richard said. "I think he was quiet candid, and as always we come to these things looking for information, looking for knowledge and understanding and it is essential that our public leaders and politicians bring that out."

Although the governor and the event's attendees showed appreciation for having the president in Ohio, many Republicans felt otherwise. On a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Mary Taylor, Ohio State Auditor and Republican John Kasich's running mate for this fall's gubernatorial election, expressed disdain with Obama's visit.

"The president has a lot to answer for, because more than 130,000 jobs have been lost in Ohio since February 2009, when the president's ‘stimulus' spending bill became law and helped explode the national debt to $13 trillion," Taylor said. "Maybe he's here to privately scold Gov. Strickland because progress on jobs in Ohio is zero minus."

After departing from the house, Obama traveled to a lunch in downtown Columbus to help the governor raise money for his campaign.