President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama traveled to Columbus, Ohio to speak to a graduating class of police cadets. He spoke about the importance of the Obama stimulus package in preserving jobs, using the example of the graduating police cadets, who will have jobs because of the money that will now be made available to cities and states by the federal government.

The class of Columbus police recruits was informed in January that due to a budget shortfall, the city lacked the funds to employ them as police officers upon their graduation from the academy. However, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman stated that money from the $787 billion Obama fiscal stimulus package that Congress approved would make available fund to cover the salaries of the graduating recruits.

While in Columbus, President Obama also made reference to the latest unemployment figures, which now stand above 8%. Barack Obama stressed the importance of putting unemployed Americans back to work as a major thrust in improving the U.S. economy during a time of severe recession.