Obama's Backyard Series Hits Iowa

President Barack Obama set out early this week to rally Democratic voters to return to the polls in November with a series of backyard forums. 

On the heels of yesterday’s discussion in New Mexico that focused primarily on education and a rally in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the president spoke about the economy today in the backyard of Iowa residents Jeff and Sandy Clubb.

“When you look at the choice we face in this election coming up,” Obama said, “the other side, what it’s really offering is the same policies that from 2001 to 2009 put off hard problems and didn’t really speak honestly to the American people about how we’re gonna get this country on track over the long term.”

One of the 70 voters in attendance offered criticism towards the administration’s plan to let Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy expire saying they would ultimately “strangle those job creation vehicles.”

“Your taxes haven’t gone up in this administration. Your taxes have gone down in this administration,” Obama rebounded, showing hints of frustration. “There’s a notion that well he’s a Democrat so your taxes must have gone up. That’s just not true.”

President Obama is scheduled to make his way to Virginia where he will end this week’s backyard discussions.