Obama promises action on jobs and poverty

Never mind that the bus, with its tinted windows and flashing lights looks more like something out of Star Wars.

Today the President’s in his home state of Illinois – in two tiny towns which are more like hamlets. The aptly named town of Alpha has a population of just 671 – although it’s been hit hard by the recession. While in Atkinson, a supporter has lined the streets with 1,000 American flags to welcome the Commander in Chief.

And although the trip has given the President back some of the fighting spirit that he seems to have been searching for he came face to face yesterday with a frustrated voter, typical of many who say he’s been making far too many concessions on the core principles he was elected to stand up for.

Emily Neal, who was at his speech in Decorah, accused him of cutting away at the trust he’d built up when he ran for the White House, in his negotiations with the Republicans. “Even Social Security and Medicare seemed on the line when we were dealing with the debt ceiling” she said. “So I’m just curious, moving forward, what prevents you from taking a harder negotiating stance, when the Republicans are taking a really hard stance?”

At first the President defended the compromises he’d made – but then he confirmed he’d be making a ‘major speech’ early next month, with new ideas to boost jobs and more help to the struggling poor and middle classes. ABC reports that the package will include a payroll tax, a new infrastructure bank, plus some new ways of paying for job creation schemes. In any case – Mr Obama was keen to show he was intent on taking action: “My attitude is, get it done”.

He made another dig at the Republicans, accusing them of putting politics above the American people, during the whole debt ceiling debacle – when fractious infighting between the parties cost America it’s AAA credit rating – and almost tipped it into an unprecedented default. When Congress comes back after the summer break, he said, things have to change. As campaign strategist David Axelrod put it – “the country wants a spirit of cooperation, of trying to solve problems’. And, went the President’s message – there’s nothing wrong with compromise. “I know it’s frustrating”, Obama told the Iowa crowd, “because the Republicans are unreasonable. And you don’t want to reward unreasonableness. But sometomes you’ve got to make choices in order to do what’s best for the country…”

Mr Obama’s Republican rivals aren’t impressed – Mitt Romney’s already branded the bus trip as a ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ – while the Republican National Committee called it a ‘campaign trip’ funded by taxpayers.

And Democrats, as well as sceptical voters – are still demanding real specifics, some fresh ideas from the President to move the tired old partisan debate forward. Like former New York Mayor Elliot Spitzer, who’s conjured up the spirit of Franklin Roosevelt, who grappled with the Great Depression in the 1930’s: ‘Above all, try something’. Writing for Slate magazine, Spitzer demanded radical plans to help homeowners and the unemployed. “We are a nation steeped in the idea that we can redirect the course of history at will. What we need at this moment is a president with bold ideas and the passion to fight for them.”

Any chance of that, then? Perhaps. On Monday, Obama urged the crowds “We’re here to enlist you in a fight”. In September, with this post-Labour day speech – he has at least promised new ideas to boost the economy, not just rehashed measures he’s already failed to push through. And that’s something his supporters have long been demanding: Lead it – and we might just follow.

Felicity Spector is a chief sub-editor at Channel 4 News. Follow her on Twitter @felicityspector