Obama’s week ahead: Economic policy, politics, and baseball

Early Sunday morning President Obama will step off of Marine One on the White House South lawn after a week-long journey to Russia, Italy, and Ghana. He will rest up only briefly before making several trips during the week of July 13 – 17.

After spending Monday in Washington, the president will travel to Warren, Michigan on Tuesday to deliver a speech. The White House has not announced a topic but Warren is home to General Motors’ sprawling technical center. So likely topics are steps the administration has taken to prop up the auto industry and the $787 billion economic stimulus program Congress passed in February.

The stimulus plan came under increasing criticism while Obama was out of the country. Critics stressed that it had failed to prevent a rise in unemployment to 9.5 percent when the administration had predicted joblessness would peak at 8 percent.

Presidential pitcher

After his speech in Warren, later Tuesday the President will head to St. Louis where he will throw out the first pitch at Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game.

The President hits the road again on Thursday heading to New Jersey to attend events supporting New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s bid for re-election. Corzine could use the help. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll earlier this month showed Republican candidate Chris Christie leading Corzine 45 percent to 39 percent. Just 21 percent of those surveyed said New Jersey was on the right track.

Honoring the NAACP's 100th anniversary

After his Corzine-related events, Thursday evening President Obama will travel to New York City to address the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during their 100th anniversary conference. When candidate Obama talked to the NAACP last July, he spoke bluntly to his fellow African Americans about personal responsibility. “No matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose or how many government programs we launch — none of it will make a difference, at least not enough of a difference, if we don't seize more responsibility in our own lives,” he said.