BURLINGTON, Vt. -
In true Vermont fashion, President Barack Obama started his campaign speech by taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves.
It's the first presidential visit to Vermont in nearly 17 years.
"Not since Clinton in 1995, it's time to reset the clock!" the president proclaimed.
President Obama's campaign event held 4,500 supporters inside the UVM athletic complex. He's expecting to raise at least $1.2 million on his trip to Vermont. His speech was reminiscent of his campaign in 2008. He spoke again of change, more specifically the changes he's made as president.
"Change is the decision we made to stop waiting for Congress to do something about our oil addiction. That's why we finally raised our fuel efficiency standards. By next decade we'll be driving American-made cars that get 55 miles per gallon," Obama said.
He touted health care reform, repealing "don't ask, don't tell," killing Osama Bin Laden and the end of the Iraq War.
"Change is no Americans for the first time in 10 years fighting in Iraq," the president said.
He then spoke about rebuilding the nation, emphasizing teaching science and mathematics so we don't lose jobs to Asian countries. The president went on to say we need to go back to our roots as a nation that does more making than taking.
"In factories in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland. I don't want this nation to be known for buying and consuming but for building and selling things around the world," he said.
It closed with a request, to coalesce again behind his message of change, saying no matter who is chosen in November we'll all have to live with it.
The president's speech lasted roughly 30 minutes. He then left abruptly for his next campaign stop in Portland, Maine.
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