President Barack Obama stepped out of Air Force One at Miami International Airport just before 5:15 p.m. and headed straight for his first fundraiser at the home of Steven Green, a former Samsonite luggage executive and ambassador to Singapore under President Bill Clinton.
The motorcade stopped traffic at the worst of times –rush hour on a rainy day. But on Miami Beach, throngs of people didn’t seem to mind as they lined the roads and shot video with smart phones.
About 80 people attended the fundraiser at Green’s $5.9 million Miami Beach home on La Gorce Island, which overlooks Biscayne Bay. Admission: $10,000 per family.
Obama spoke for 15 minutes at the Miami Beach home of former Ambassador Steven Green who told the crowd of 80 or so “Florida is a crucial state for the reelection of President Obama.”
Obama began by giving thanks to Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the Democratic Party’s new leader.
“If you’re in a foxhole, you want Debbie alongside you because not only is she charming and she has that dazzling smile, she’s tough as nails. And that’s what’s needed during challenging times,” Obama said.
“There’s no doubt that the country has gone through an extraordinary trauma,” Obama said. “My job has frankly been to clean up a big mess… We yanked the economy out of what could have been a second Great Depression. We stabilized the financial system.”
Obama said he was making good on his promise to end the Iraq war and withdraw from Afghanistan. He said the financial regulations passed on his watch helped stabilize the economy, led to 2 million new jobs created in 15 months and helped the auto industry become “profitable” again.
“I could not be prouder of the track record that we’ve put together under these trying times,” Obama said
He won a smattering of applause for his stance on “making sure you can serve in our military no matter who you love.” Another crowd pleaser: “We appointed the first Latina to the Supreme Court.”
Obama said more needed to be done to invest in green energy, and pass a “smart immigration policy” to keep people from “living in the shadows.” He said he wanted the United States, not China, to lead the way on high-speed rail – this in a state where Gov. Rick Scott rejected billions in high-speed rail money. He also said he wanted the United States to remain a “stalwart ally of Israel” and to not forget “our neighbors in Haiti.”
Though “ObamaCare” is considered a slur to some, Obama talked up his health-reform package.
“I could not be prouder of the work that we’ve done on healthcare, making sure that every American in this country can find affordable accessible healthcare, which by the way will end up saving us money,” he said.
Obama avoided directly bashing Republicans, but said history showed Democrats are better leaders.
“The last time we had a balanced budget, who was president?” he asked.
“Bill Clinton,” a few people called out.
“It was a Democratic president,” Obama said. “The last time we had the kind of growth that lifted all boats, who was it? It was a Democratic president.”
Obama said he’s ready to make his case in 2012.
“This is going to be a values debate. It’s not just dry numbers. It’s not just budgets. It’s about who we are as a people. And do we still have a big optimistic bold hopeful compassionate generous spirit. And is that reflected in our government?”
Obama acknowledged that governing was tougher than he expected on the campaign trail.
“For those of you who were involved in the campaign in 2008 and you thought, ‘boy this is so exciting.’ The crowd was so fresh. And you had the posters. And now you look and you say, ‘Boy his hair’s really gray now. He’s got a few bags under his eyes. Maybe my friends are saying to me I don’t know we thought the change would come faster. I just want to remind you, big changes don’t happen over night. This is a democracy we live in. That is a wonderful thing. But it’s messy. It’s diverse. And there are going to be contentious arguments.”
Miami Herald–Pool
