President Obama Visits Rhode Island

According to the White House, President Obama is meeting with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and senior advisors this morning. 

Later today, he will then travel to Warwick, Rhode Island, to tour the facilities of American Cord & Webbing in Woonsocket.  The president will also deliver remarks to workers. 

Tonight, he will speak at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reception at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence,  as well as at a dinner for the DCCC at a private residence in Rhode Island. 

Obama To Give Back-To-School Speech

This afternoon, President Obama is traveling to Philadelphia, PA,  to deliver his second annual Back-to-School Speech at Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School.  According to the White House, this gives the president an opportunity to speak directly to students across the country.  Last year, President Obama encouraged students to study hard, stay in school, and take responsibility for their education. 

Today’s audience will be approximately 600 students and faculty from the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School. The White House also expects the following elected officials to participate in today’s event: Governor Ed Rendell, Mayor Mike Nutter, Philadelphia, U.S. Representatives Bob Brady, Chaka Fattah, and Allyson Schwartz. 

White House Responding To All Requests From Pakistan

White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton talked about the U.S. response to Pakistan’s humanitarian crisis Thursday.

“This catastrophe is one that’s on a human scale and widespread, and the United States is doing everything that it can to help the country of Pakistan.  We’ve given them tens of millions of dollars in aid.  U.S. helicopters and C130s are there delivering hundreds of thousands of pounds of food and medical supplies,” Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One.

The White House says that they are responding to all the requests that come in from the Pakistani government. 

“Our relationship with Pakistan is one that’s more than just about fighting armed extremists and we’re hoping to help them where we can.”

White House Condemns Baghdad Bombing

Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One today that President Barack Obama condemmned yesterday’s bombing in Iraq that took the lives of dozens of Iraqi army recruits.

There are “obviously still people who want to derail the advances that the Iraqi people have made towards democracy, but they are firmly on track and we’re confident that we’re moving towards the end of our combat mission there,” he added.

Burton told reporters that the attack does not change the President’s commitment to removing all U.S. combat forces from Iraq by the end of the month.

“We’re obviously helping the Iraqi forces to keep that country secure. Our combat mission ends at the end of the month, but we will still have troops there who are helping to support them as necessary.”

President Obama's Week Ahead

According to the White House, President Obama will start this week off by honoring the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints in the East Room.  In the afternoon, the President will travel to Texas. He will deliver remarks in Austin at a DNC finance event and at the University of Texas at Austin. He will also travel to Dallas, Texas to attend a DSCC finance event. President Obama will spend the following four days working in Washington. On Wednesday, he will meet with his national security team on Iraq.