President Obama visits electric vehicle site, will hold townhall meeting afterwards in LA

[ClarkUSA]

The president announced the availability of $2.4 billion in federal funding to produce the next generation of hybrid vehicles and the battery components needed to run them. As he has in recent days, he stressed that his administration is working to deal with the nation's economic woes... In pushing for more jobs, Obama has frequently cited solar power and electric cars as being at the top of his agenda...Also at the facility were 30 students from Village Academy High School, mentioned by Obama in a recent speech on educational reform. The students produced a nine-minute video entitled "Is Anybody Listening?" about the effects of the spiraling economy and foreclosures across the Southland.

The White House called the school on Wednesday, according to school officials, and invited the entire Advanced Placement literature and composition class to meet privately with the president today... officials said they gathered the students in a classroom to tell them about the White House call Wednesday afternoon. Their teacher, Michael Steinman, said their reaction was "disbelief."... Chris Campbell of Pasadena said he arrived at the learning center at 5 a.m. to snag the first spot in line to see Obama speak. He and his girlfriend won their tickets through a White House lottery this week.

"She screamed. I thought we won the real lottery," said Campbell, 38.

Obama Town Hall: some pols, some protesters, anticipation in the air

Our colleague Seema Mehta is on the scene at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, where the president is expected to start his town hall appearance at 1 p.m....the cavernous gym of the Contreras complex is filling up, as ticket holders file in and take their seats in tidy rows of folding chairs... Los Angeles City Council members Bernard Parks and Eric Garcetti were among the first local officials to arrive. Garcetti, an early supporter of Obama's, pronounced himself "ecstatic" over the president's visit.

"This is a chance for the president to reconnect with his people," said Garcetti... The former L.A. police chief was interested in what Obama would say about community-oriented policing. "I'm looking for him to stay the course," Parks said. "What he has done the last several weeks has shown a great deal of leadership."

After a day at DU GDP, it's nice to know that so many people in the real world think President Obama is doing a good job. :D