Barack to the Future: Obama Back on Stump for Stimulus

President Barack Obama will be back on the stump this week as he makes his case for his stimulus plan to the American people.

The new commander in chief will revisit the battleground states of Indiana an Florida early this week to help sell his $827 billion economic stimulus plan and has secured a prime-time television slot on Monday to make his pitch to Americans as polls show their support for the bill is waning.

"This is not designed specifically to cajole any member of Congress," spokesman Robert Gibbs said of Obama's itinerary. "It's an effort for the president to talk to the American people about what's at stake."

Obama will fly to Elkhart, Ind., Monday to participate in his first of two town-hall style gatherings that are reminiscent of events he held nearly every day during his two-year tenure on the campaign trail. Unemployment in the Indiana city jumped from 4.7 percent to 15.3 percent over the past year, AFP reported.

He is scheduled to fly to Fort Myers, Fla., on Tuesday where unemployment is at 10 percent, the agency reported.

The president won both battleground states during the election.

Obama will use the first prime-time address of his presidency to make a pitch for the package Monday night and has encouraged supporters to help rally support for the bill by hosting house parties ahead of his press conference, AFP reported.

Obama's efforts at bipartisanship fell apart after the rescue package faced staunch opposition from Republican lawmakers who worry that the plan is too expensive and inefficient.

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