ORLANDO, Fla.,None — President Barack Obama departed Orlando on Tuesday night after attending two fundraisers and meeting with unemployed construction workers.
“It's good to be back in Florida,” said President Obama. “There's some perfect Florida weather out there. To everybody who's watching, come on down to Florida.”
President Arrives In Orlando: See Images | Raw Video
Air Force one took off from Orlando International Airport just before 10 p.m.
Obama rallied support among democrats at a downtown fundraiser Tuesday afternoon. He called on U.S. Senators to pass his $447 billion jobs package.
“Everything in this bill is the kind of proposal that in the past has been supported by democrats and republicans,” said Obama. “Everything in this bill will be paid for. It will put people back to work. It will put more money in your pockets.”
As the President was speaking, republican senators and two democrats voted to block the President’s job bill. Mr. Obama told supporters that if Congress blocked his bill, he’ll keep pushing it until it passes.
“There's work to be done right here in Orlando. There are workers ready to do it right here in Orlando.”
Several dozen people protested President Obama's economic plan, while another 450 people gathered inside the downtown Orlando Sheraton hotel to show support and help break another fundraising record for his re-election.
"I think he's done some really incredible things at a time when he was handed some really serious challenges," Obama supporter Joe Saunders said.
Tickets for the Sheraton fundraiser went from $250. The sellout crowd of over 400 raised at least $100,000 for his re-election campaign.
Obama also meet and drank a beer with unemployed construction workers and Mayor Buddy Dyer at the “Harp and Kelt” in downtown Orlando.
The President then attended an exclusive fundraiser at the home of attorney John Morgan in Lake Mary. The second fundraiser for 100 contributors included basketball stars Grant Hill, Patrick Ewing and Doc Rivers.
As the President’s motorcade was leaving the Lake Mary fundraiser, two police motorcycles crashed at the intersection of Lake Mary boulevard and Tournament drive. Florida Highway Patrol said an Orlando Police Department motorcycle officer rear-ended a Seminole County Sheriff’s deputy. Neither of them were seriously injured. They were patrolling the rear of the President’s motorcade, so the accident did not slow down the President’s departure.
President Obama departed Orlando on Air Force One for Washington D.C., after spending approximately five hours in Central Florida.
With an approval rating at around 41 percent, dipping a little lower in Florida, University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett said Obama's going to have to beat that record to get re-elected.
"Our unemployment rate is high. He knows we're the largest swing state. He was able to win Florida the first time around and if he wants to win it again he's going to have to work a lot harder," said Jewett.
Jewett said this time, Obama is running on his own record and Central Florida is part of that I-4 corridor of swing voters that could make or break winning Florida in 2012.
"He can raise as much money as he wants. As Herman Cain says, it's not the money it's the message and we're not deceived anymore," said Obama protester Linda O'Keefe.