Obama Explains Reason For Bus Tour: 'I'm The President'

By JULIE PACE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JAMESTOWN, N.C. (AP) — President Barack Obama says he's touring Republican areas of North Carolina for a simple reason. "I'm the president," he says.

Visiting Jamestown, N.C., on Tuesday to continue pressing his ideas for creating jobs, Obama said he's not the president of Democrats or the president of Republicans. He says he's the president of all Americans who are going through tough economic times together.

Added Obama: "We don't need a Republican jobs act or a Democratic jobs act. We need to put people back to work right now."

Senate Republicans blocked Obama's jobs bill last week. Obama says lawmakers will now break up his $447 billion jobs bill, a package of targeted tax cuts and direct spending proposals, and vote on the individual components.