Obama to GOP: Learn from Lincoln

CHICAGO, March 16 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama Friday invoked Abraham Lincoln at a $2 million fundraiser in Chicago, saying the country will "rise or fall together."

With U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn in attendance, Obama drew stark contrasts between his re-election campaign and that of the Republican presidential contenders vying for votes in the Land of Lincoln's Tuesday primary.

"You might have noticed that we have some guests in Illinois this week. Apparently, things haven't quite wrapped up on the other side," Obama said.

"My message to all the candidates is, 'Welcome to the Land of Lincoln,' because I'm thinking maybe some Lincoln will rub off on them while they are here.

"We remember Lincoln as the leader who saved our union, but this is a president who in the midst of the Civil War launched the transcontinental railroad, understanding that in order for America to grow, we had to stitch ourselves together, to be connected, coast to coast. …

"Lincoln, the first Republican president … understood that we are a people that take great pride in our self-reliance and our independence but that we are also one nation and one people, and that we rise or fall together."

Obama touted his administration's support of the auto industry in Detroit, noting General Motors Co. recently reported its biggest profits in 100 years, a milestone that he said likely wouldn't have been realized if Republicans had their way. He said Americans can look forward to vehicles that get 55 miles per gallon in the next decade thanks to his policies.

He mentioned his landmark healthcare legislation mandating preventive care and coverage for children with pre-existing conditions as one of the many elements of "change" that came to fruition because of his election to the presidency.

"Change is the fact that for the first time in our history, you don't have to hide who you love in order to serve the country you love, because 'don't ask, don't tell" is over. …

"Change is fulfilling the first promise I made in this campaign -- that we would end the war in Iraq. We do not have troops in Iraq anymore because of the extraordinary work of our men and women in uniform. …

"It is time for us to take the money we are no longer spending at war and use half of that to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building here at home. Let's put people back to work."

Obama said his administration has created more than 4 million jobs during his term.

"We've got the biggest growth in manufacturing since the 1990s. The economy is stronger. Our exports are on track to double. Businesses feel more confident. …

"The other side, they've got an entirely different idea. Their basic theory is that we go back to doing things the same way we were doing them before the crisis hit; promoting the same policies that got us into this mess in the first place. … That's the last thing we can afford to do."

Obama repeated his call for the wealthiest Americans to pay their "fair share" in taxes.

"Remember what we said in the last campaign, that real change, big change would be hard. It takes time. It may take more than a single term. It may take more than a single president. What it really takes is ordinary citizens who are committed to continuing to fight and to push and to keep inching this country closer to its ideals, its highest ideals," he said.

Obama left Chicago for another fundraiser in Atlanta, where he was greeted by Mayor Kasim Reed, U.S. Rep. John Lewis and other officials.

"Three years ago, we were still (losing) 800,000 jobs a month in this country," Obama told the audience in Atlanta, reminding donors of how far the economy has come since he took office.

"I think we can feel good about the road we have traveled so far. The reason I ran … wasn't just to get back to square one.

"As satisfied as I am with some of the progress we've made, I know we've still got a lot of work to do."