Obama to defend economic record in Ohio speech

— -- President Barack Obama heads to the pivotal battleground of Ohio on Thursday to deliver a speech defending his record on the economy — the top issue on voters' minds. His Republican rival, Mitt Romney, is also stumping in the Buckeye State.

Yahoo News will cover the president's speech live.

Aides described Obama's remarks as "a campaign speech" and "a framing speech" — essentially, an effort to modify his message on the economy to reach voters grappling with whether he deserves another four years despite the sour economy.

A campaign official emailed reporters late Wednesday that "this is the first in a series of speeches the president will give laying out the stark choice in the election." (The technical term for this is "campaigning.")

Obama also planned to travel to New York to visit Ground Zero and attend a pair of fundraisers aimed at scooping up $4.5 million for his campaign. One of the events will be hosted by actress Sarah Jessica Parker and Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Fifty guests there are due to pay $40,000 each.

"Running for president is an expensive proposition," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Before he left Washington, the Department of Labor released official data showing that weekly unemployment benefit applications rose 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 386,000 — the latest sign of anemic hiring and sluggish growth.

And the Gallup polling organization released a survey showing that more than two-thirds of Americans—including half of Republicans—still pin the country's economic ills on former President George W. Bush. (more...)