Presidential Visit

President Barack Obama spoke at a Town Meeting in Fort Myers Tuesday. He interrupted his own speech to say the Senate had passed the economic stimulus package. The President came to Florida because Fort Myers has topped the country with foreclosures and saw a huge jump in unemployment. WGCU’s Amy Tardif reports.

Air-Force One, carrying President Barack Obama 
touched down yesterday morning at Southwest Florida International
Airport at 11:21.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker was there.

President
Barack Obama traveled today to Fort Myers, Florida for a town hall on
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.  The President spoke
directly with Fort Myers residents about his commitment to put aside
politics as usual and implement a plan to create jobs, jumpstart growth
and transform our economy for the 21st century.

Across
the country, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will help
businesses create jobs and families afford their bills, while laying a
foundation for future economic growth in key areas like health care,
clean energy, education and a 21st century infrastructure. This plan is
particularly meaningful to families and businesses in the Ft. Myers
area, where the unemployment rate has jumped from 6 percent to 10
percent since last year.

Click
here
for
Florida-specific information detailing the employment, infrastructure,
education, and health care impacts of the recovery plan.

The President was joined today by
Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

Click Here to read the President's remarks in their entirety.

Fort
Myers awaits the arrival of President Barack Obama tomorrow/Tuesday.
But some wonder exactly what can he do to fix one of the worst counties
in the country for foreclosure? WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Back on January 20th, Gulf Coast Live spoke with several Southwest Florida students who were in Washington D.C. for the Presidential Inauguration. Recently several of the students sent letters and photos in. Here is an excerpt from one of them:




I wonder to myself, “How can five days be so epic?” Actually, it seemed more than five days, I felt that my trip had lasted for weeks rather than just one and I wish I would’ve stayed longer. From the minute I stepped into the freezing air I knew I was in for an awesome experience, and that’s exactly what I got, plus more.