Obama pitches nuts, bolts of plan

Campaigning for the top priority of his upcoming presidency, Barack Obama pitched his economic recovery plan on Friday by using an old-economy plant now finding new business in alternative energy.

Obama’s stop at Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co. came the day before he starts a weekend of activities -- including an Abraham Lincoln-inspired train trip from Philadelphia to Washington -- before his inauguration Tuesday.

The president-elect sought to show he is in touch with the economic plight of Americans as he pushed his plan for more than $800 billion in new spending and tax cuts.

“It’s not too late to change course, but only if we take dramatic action as soon as possible,” he said. “The way I see it, the first job of my administration is to put people back to work and get our economy moving again.”

The nonunion shop that served as a backdrop has about 65 employees and produces screws and bolts used to make wind turbines. Its parts, Obama noted, are also in the Statue of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge.

Joined by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, the president-elect seemed relaxed, perhaps even enjoying the opportunity to be on the road again after leaving the campaign trail more than two months ago.

Obama cautioned, however, that tough times are ahead as he works to build public support for his proposal and lobby congressional Democrats and Republicans.

“Things will get worse before they get better,” he told about 150 workers and invited guests gathered on a chilly plant floor. “I want everybody to be realistic about this.”

Obama has argued his plan would create nearly 500,000 jobs tied to boosting the nation’s alternative energy supply. Those are part of a goal of between 3 million and 4 million jobs he says could be saved or created by 2010 as part of his recovery proposal.

The campaign-style stop in suburban Cleveland was the first of several planned for the early days of Obama’s administration, as he pushes Congress for passage by the Presidents’ Day break in mid-February.

The president-elect pitched the economic downturn as an opportunity to invest in the future.

“We’ve seen old factories become new clean-energy producers,” he said. “Our scientists and engineers are hard at work developing cars that use less gas, homes and appliances that require less energy, schools and offices that are greener and more efficient than ever before.”

The president-elect warned against delays in approving his plan.

“If we don’t act now, because of the economic downturn, half of the wind projects planned for 2009 could wind up being abandoned,” he said. “Think about all the businesses that wouldn’t come to be, all the jobs that wouldn’t be created, all the clean energy that we wouldn’t produce.”

James Robinson, 53, a shift supervisor at the plant, said Obama’s visit made him think his handiwork was helping the country.

“If he does half of what he says he will do, it will help us,” Robinson said.

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jmccormick@tribune.com