BOSTON — With the congressional elections fast approaching, President Barack Obama acknowledged Saturday that the hope and energy he stirred during his presidential campaign might have faded in the face of a grinding economic crisis.
“We’re doing the grinding, sometimes frustrating work of actually delivering change. I know it can be discouraging,” Obama told a crowd of 10,000 at a rally at Boston’s Hynes Convention Center.
Obama came to Boston to campaign for friend and political ally Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is struggling to overcome the anti-incumbent mood that has swept across the country during this election season. Obama said Patrick’s opponent is banking on the same strategy as national Republicans.
“They figured they could ride people’s anger and frustration all the way to the ballot box,” said Obama, dressed in a sport coat but no tie.
With just over two weeks until Election Day, Obama has been campaigning coast to coast.
As he has throughout this campaign season, Obama sought to frame the election as a choice between his policies, which he says are moving the country forward, and those of the GOP, who he says wants to return to the policies of the past.
“The worst thing we could do is go back to a philosophy that nearly destroyed our economy,” he said.
