A Wall Street Journal story this week details President Barack Obama's frequent travels to electoral swing states such as North Carolina, prompting a response from the White House.
As detailed by the Los Angeles Times, Obama spokesman Jay Carney said the president won so many states -- particularly battleground states -- that he can't dodge visiting them as he does his official business.
"When you look at George W. Bush's travel as president, [Virginia is] not included on this list as a swing state or a battleground state because it was not perceived to be possible that a Democrat could win it. But Barack Obama won that state, and he's made numerous visits to Virginia, just as most presidents prior to Barack Obama have made numerous visits to Virginia," Carney said.
Questioned again about why the president visits North Carolina and not Republican-strong Tennessee, Carney added, "He goes to red states, he goes to blue states, he goes to states that are considered battleground states--and those decisions are made for substantive reasons based on the policy issue that . . . he’s addressing."
But as the Los Angeles Times piece continues: "It’s not quite so even-handed as all that, though. States aren’t chosen by throwing darts at a board. Last month, Obama took a bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia -- you guessed it, two swing states.
"During the trip, we asked a White House advisor why Obama had avoided certain parts of North Carolina. The advisor assured us that Obama would be back -- many times -- before the 2012 election."
