President Obama Tells Trotter Members
Why Democrats Deserve Midterm Votes

(Photo: Chuck Kennedy/White House)

Ten members of the Trotter Group met with President Obama for an hour on Oct. 15, 2010, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House as part of a White House outreach effort before the Nov. 2 midterm elections. Questions covered the economy, the war in Afghanistan, education, child hunger, his status as the first African American president, the salaries of federal employees, his efforts to persuade American voters that his administration is on the right path and the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
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Participating were DeWayne Wickham, USA Today; Les Payne, theRoot.com; Dwight Lewis, Nashville Tennessean; Tonyaa Weathersbee, Florida Times-Union; Rhonda Graham, Wilmington (Del.) News-Journal; Annette John-Hall, Philadelphia Inquirer; Askia Muhammad, the Washington Informer; Lynne Varner, Seattle Times; Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press and Joe Davidson, Washington Post. Some Trotter Group members who were not chosen to participate also wrote.

Monroe Anderson blog:
White House blackout peeves some black columnists
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Cary Clack, San Antonio Express-News:
Mr. President, when do I get my meeting?
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Mary C. Curtis, Politics Daily:
Obama Aide Valerie Jarrett's Advice to Boss: 'Stay the Course and Know It Will Get Better'
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Joe Davidson, Washington Post:
Obama considers leaving government jobs unfilled
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Dissatisfaction in federal employee pay sign of disconnect Read the column

Rhonda B. Graham, Wilmington (Del.) News Journal:
Well-managed bailout creates returns to help reduce the deficit
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Annette John-Hall, Philadelphia Inquirer:
Keeping the faith in President Obama
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Dwight Lewis, Nashville Tennessean:
A visit with Obama yields interesting answers
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Askia Muhammad, Washington Informer:
Obama: ‘Don’t compare me to Almighty’
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Les Payne, TheRoot.com:
The President's Summit With Black Journalists
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Newsday (New York): Obama shares his side of the issues Read the column

Richard Prince, Richard Prince's Journal-isms:
Spurned Columnists Question Selection Process for Obama Meeting
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Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press:
Obama: Dems can win if voters can tune out attacks
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	We should judge Barack Obama as the president, not as the black president Read the column
	Obama must reconnect with voters Read the column

David Squires, Daily Press,
Newport News, Va.:
School reform talk turns 'crazy'
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Lynne Varner, Seattle Times:
The president gets into campaign mode
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Editorial, Seattle Times: Obama should consider federal furloughs in cost-cutting program Read the editorial

Robin Washington, Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune:
Obama answering question I didn’t get to ask
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Tonyaa Weathersbee blog, Florida Times-Union:
Obama has faith in essential common sense of Americans
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BlackAmericaWeb.com Obama Determined to Stay On High Road Read the column

DeWayne Wickham, USA Today:
Obama rises above the racial swamp
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What's at stake in midterm elections Read the column