At a N.C. Factory, Obama Touts Jobs Numbers: 'We are Beginning to Turn the Corner'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The last time Barack Obama visited Charlotte, it was the night before the 2008 election. His mood was both somber, as he mourned the death of the grandmother who helped raise him, and optimistic about his chances in a state no Democratic presidential candidate had won since 1976.

His return as president on Friday was all business. Election Day – when he claimed North Carolina by 14,000 votes – was nearly a year and a half ago. On this visit, Obama toured a manufacturing plant and talked with workers there about the economy on the same day that March jobs numbers offered some relief. The economy added about 162,000 jobs -- 30,000 or so fewer than economists had predicted -- but still the largest one-month employment increase in three years.

"Today is an encouraging day," Obama said. "We learned that the economy actually produced a substantial number of jobs instead of losing a substantial number of jobs. We are beginning to turn the corner."

Inside a Celgard warehouse, about 300 employees gave the president an extended standing ovation after he had toured the plant.

Celgard, which makes components for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in consumer electronics devices, is an example of the green jobs effort promoted by federal, state and local officials. The company received a $49 million federal stimulus grant last summer from the U.S. Department of Energy to create jobs and develop advanced battery production for the electric vehicle market. Earlier this year, Celgard announced plans to expand the facility in Charlotte and build a plant in Concord, N.C. The company reports that its expansion will create between 200 and 300 North Carolina jobs within Celgard and provide more than 1,000 jobs among contractors and suppliers.

During his visit, Obama felt confident enough to joke about Washington's partisan politics: "You're building separators to make sure diametrically opposed forces can work successfully together. And I couldn't help but think: We could use your help in Congress."

But he was serious about how far the country has to go. "We shouldn't underestimate the difficulties we face as a country or the hardships that confront millions of our fellow citizens," he said. "Eight million people have lost jobs over the past two years."

"What government can do is create the conditions for companies to succeed," Obama said. "It can help to create the conditions for companies to hire again."

Chuck Cooley, 39, has experienced the lows and highs of this uncertain economy. He moved with his wife and five children from Southeast Michigan to Rock Hill, S.C., last year for a job as an instrument electrical technician at Celgard. He was laid off from a similar position in the auto industry after 10 years. He said he would have asked the president how he's going to keep the nation's economy and jobs picture progressing long term.

Another employee, who didn't want to give his name -- Celgard limited press access -- was just happy to see Obama. "He's my hero," he said. "He passed the health care bill, which I've been waiting for for 15 years." The Charlotte man, who has been at Celgard for 16 years, said he was excited to be a part of the new green jobs effort.

The company offers good news in an area that has seen its lofty business success stalled. While national unemployment stands unchanged at 9.7 percent, unemployment in North Carolina hit 11.2 percent in February, with Charlotte numbers for January at 12.8 percent, the highest in 20 years.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx led a group of Charlotte-area leaders to Washington last month to meet with Treasury officials, economists, and White House advisers. They talked about the region's problems and potential for growth. Introduced by the president on Friday as the "hotshot young up-and-coming mayor," Foxx said "the fact that the president would come to Charlotte" means the city "is going to play a role development of a new 21^st century economy."

In a conversation on Thursday, Foxx told me: "The impression that Charlotte has given off to the world over the last 20 to 25 years is that we're a bank town -- and we're still the second largest financial services center in the country. But we have a much more diverse economy than we've often allowed ourselves to celebrate."

With Obama in Charlotte "to talk about efforts we're taking to create jobs in the new energy economy," Foxx said, the city has a chance "to show that image of a diverse economy to the world."

Foxx was among the state and local officials who appeared with the president. Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) accompanied the president on Air Force One from Washington. Spratt, who is one of the House members targeted by Sarah Palin for defeat in November, recently announced that he has Parkinson's disease, but says it won't affect his ability or intention to run for re-election.

Also joining Obama at Celgard were Democratic Reps. Mel Watt (who voted for health care) and Larry Kissell (who voted "no"). Gov. Beverly Perdue, who became the state's first woman governor on the heels of Obama's popularity in 2008, met the president at the airport.

But it wasn't all applause for the president. Though no public appearances were scheduled, protesters and supporters lined his route. And inside the plant, Obama faced tough questions on the effect of offshore drilling on investments into alternate sources of energy and if health care reform would increase taxes.

To the former, he said that while finding renewable, clean sources of energy is one of his highest priorities, "We don't yet have the technological breakthroughs that can completely replace fossil fuels."

To the latter, he gave what he admitted was "a long answer," in which he said health care reform would ultimately "get the budget under control."

In Rasmussen poll numbers for North Carolina recently reported by Bruce Drake on Politics Daily, 57 percent disapprove of the job Obama is doing (with 51 percent "strongly" disapproving) while 42 percent approve. Fifty-six percent oppose his health care plan (with 52 percent in "strong" opposition) while 42 percent favor it.