Reuters: Politics: Obama knocks Republicans, courts students in campaign swing

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Obama knocks Republicans, courts students in campaign swing Aug 28th 2012, 22:10 U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, August 28, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing By Margaret Chadbourn AMES, Iowa | Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:10pm EDT AMES, Iowa (Reuters) - President Barack Obama tried some campaign counterprogramming on Tuesday, telling a college audience in Iowa to beware of the rhetoric from the Republican Party convention in Florida. "This week in Tampa, my opponents will offer you their agenda," Obama said during a campaign stop at Iowa State University. "I'm sure they'll have some wonderful things to say about me, but what you won't hear from them is a path forward that meets the challenges of our time." On the campaign trail for a two-day college tour, Obama highlighted differences with the presumptive Republican candidate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, on issues important to younger voters, including alternative-energy sources, tax cuts for wealthy Americans, education and healthcare. He reminded listeners that because of his signature healthcare program, which Romney wants to roll back, students could continue to receive health insurance through their parents. "Maybe we should call his plan, 'Romney doesn't care,'" he said. STUDENT FOCUS Obama, who relied heavily on university student support in the 2008 election, is making a concerted effort to energize the campus vote as the new academic year begins. After appearing in Iowa, Obama headed to a rally at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado. On Wednesday, Obama has an event planned near the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. On campuses, Obama has highlighted his administration's efforts to increase federal student aid while reducing student debt. Romney has countered with the claim that Obama's "failed" economic policies are responsible for joblessness among younger Americans. "Under President Obama, 'hope and change' has failed the youth of America," said a full-page ad by the Romney campaign in the Iowa State Daily newspaper. Speaking at the Republican convention in Tampa, the head of the College Republican National Committee, Alex Schriver, adopted a similar line of attack. "Half of my generation didn't get up and go to a job this morning," he said. "At the end of the day, Barack Obama has failed young Americans." Obama took pains during the day to assure Americans he was closely watching Hurricane Isaac and preparing for recovery efforts, implicitly drawing parallels with the widely criticized response to Hurricane Katrina seven years ago by the Republican administration of President George W. Bush. "We've been getting ready for this storm for days," Obama said as he began his remarks at Iowa State. "America will be there to help folks recover no matter what this storm brings, because when disaster strikes, we're not Democrats or Republicans first, we're one family." Obama has issued emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi this week because of Isaac. Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki deflected any suggestion Obama should put off campaigning to deal with the storm, saying he would change plans if need be, but that with the election less than 70 days away, it was important for him to make his case to voters. "Obviously, the Republican convention is proceeding as planned," she said. (Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert and Mark Felsenthal, writing by Margaret Chadbourn and Mark Felsenthal, editing by Fred Barbash and Philip Barbara) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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