By Jim Letizia
Columbus, OH – Barack Obama plans a campaign trip to Columbus on Friday, his first as the Democratic presidential nominee. Obama and his wife Michelle will hold an invitation-only meeting with seniors. The visit is a part of the campaign's two week swing across the country, focusing on the economy. The campaign began Monday in North Carolina.
"We saw the biggest rise in the unemployment rate in more than 20 years. The percentage of homes in foreclosure and late mortgage payments is the highest since the great depression. And I don't need to tell you the price of oil has never been higher. This was not an inevitable part of the business cycle that was beyond our power to avoid. It was the logical conclusion of a tired and misguided philosophy that has dominated Washington for far too long."
This will be Obama's first visit to Ohio since March, when he and Hillary Clinton held rallies in Westerville on the same day. Republican John McCain has been in the state three times since wrapping up the nomination, including trips to Cleveland, Columbus and Youngstown.