Obamas On The Gulf Coast

(AP) - First lady Michelle Obama says
she'll fight to ensure the concerns of military families are heard
in Washington.
Obama spoke to more than 1,100 airmen and their families at
Eglin Air Force Base in the Panhandle Thursday following an earlier
event in Miami.

Click here to read a copy of her entire speech.

While no one other than the families themselves can truly know
the stresses of multiple war-zone deployments, she said she
respects their sacrifices and understands the strains on their
families.
The first lady said she supports education benefits for military
spouses and family and medical leave benefits for the families of
wounded soldiers.
She also met with Army Rangers, Explosive Ordnance Disposal
technicians and others who have been deployed many times to Iraq
and Afghanistan.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - President Barack Obama says it's time to do
the right thing for the environment and at the same boost the
economy by doing more to promote renewable energy and reduce the
nation's dependence on foreign oil.
At a town hall meeting Thursday in New Orleans, a participant
asked Obama what can be done to make environmental policies more
effective.
Obama pointed to clean-energy programs already being financed by
the economic stimulus package. He said renewable energy has the
potential to become a huge engine for economic growth in the
economy.
The president said he'll be pushing for a broader clean-energy
initiative once he's done working on health care legislation.


(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)