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\f0\fs24 \cf2 (Image source: White House Flickr)\ \
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\b \cf2 BY ELIZABETH HAGEDORN \b0 \
\b ANCHOR: ZACH TOOMBS \b0 \
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\f1 \cf2 \uc0\u8232 \f0 \'a0\'a0
\f1 \uc0\u8232 \f0 You\'92d think it was still election season.
As Congress remains gridlocked over a way to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, President
Obama is back on a campaign trail of sorts, looking to garner public support for his own
tax agenda. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://nation.foxnews.com/fiscal-cliff/2012/11/27/gop-rips-obama-fiscal-cliff-road-show"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 Fox News\'92 Shepard Smith}}
has the details. \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0 \'a0 \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0\b \'93The White House says President Obama is taking his case to the people, meeting
with small business leaders today, middle class families tomorrow, and hitting the road
for a campaign-style rally on Friday.\'94 \f1\b0 \uc0\u8232
\f0 \'a0\'a0 \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0 The president is turning to the public in hopes of persuading Congress to allow tax
increases on the wealthiest Americans and extend tax cuts for middle-class families.
This, as more congressional Republicans now appear open to considering an increase in
tax revenue. \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0 \'a0 \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0 And with the 2011 debt ceiling battle fresh in lawmakers\'92 minds, the White House\'92s
strategy of going-public seems markedly more aggressive than it was a year ago. A writer
for {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/110173/obama-press-conference-tax-cut-wealthy-debt-ceiling-fight#"}}{\fldrslt \i \cf3 \ul \ulc3 The New Republic\ulnone
\f0\b \'93The obvious answer is that [Obama] can be. The economy is stronger, his job approval
numbers are higher, and he just won reelection with votes to spare. Also, Republicans simply
don't have the policy leverage they did previously.\'94 \f1\b0 \uc0\u8232
\f0 \'a0\'a0 \f1 \uc0\u8232
\f0 But will the PR-blitz pay off? {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/politics/debt-reckoning.html#sha=68db49329"}}{\fldrslt
\i \cf3 \ul \ulc3 The New York Times\'92\ulnone }}Peter Baker suggests it won\'92t.\
\f1 \uc0\u8232 \f0\b \'93[H]is strategy could \'85 exacerbate
partisan tensions at a time when voters have said in polls that they want the two sides
to work together to fix the nation\'92s finances.\'94 \f1\b0 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\f0 That isn\'92t to say Republicans aren\'92t embracing the same campaign-style tactics.
House Speaker John Boehner announced Tuesday GOP lawmakers will be holding a series of
events with small business owners in Washington and in their home districts.
\f1 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 \f0 The last face-to-face meeting between
Obama and congressional leaders was November 16.\
}