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Obama uses Super Bowl party to woo opponents
Paul Thompson2 Feb 2009
BARACK OBAMA threw a Super Bowl party in the White House as he tried to woo Republicans who have vowed to oppose his $825billion plan to revive the US economy.
The President joined an estimated 100million Americans who watched TV coverage of the game.
Mr Obama invited Republican senators from the home states of the two teams - the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers - as well as other leading politicians to join him.
Among the Arizona contingent was John McCain, a fierce opponent of his rescue package for the US economy.
Aides said the Super Bowl party was an opportunity to mix business with pleasure - with the emphasis on business as Mr Obama sought desperately needed cross-party support to get his spending and tax-cut plan passed by next month.
As Mr Obama entertained at the White House, a spectacular fireworks display and an energetic 12-minute performance by Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band helped make the Super Bowl contest, in Tampa, Florida, a memorable event yesterday. Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem.
There was drama on the pitch too as Pittsburgh won an unprecedented sixth title with a late touchdown in a thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona.
White House aides said Mr Obama used the SuperBowl party to engage in political arm-twisting.
Mr McCain, his former presidential rival, has already said he will not support the stimulus Bill as it contains too much spending and not enough tax cuts. But with the Super Bowl lasting almost four hours, Mr Obama found plenty of time to make his point.
His bail-out plan cleared its first hurdle last week when the House of Representatives voted for its approval. But the President did not have a single vote from Republicans, who took to US political shows yesterday to voice their disapproval of his plans.
They warned that the Bill will not pass in the Senate unless there are major changes.
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said: "If we're going to spend anywhere near this it needs to be timely, temporary and targeted." Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina said the stimulus plan would cost American taxpayers dearly over the long term. "This plan is a spending plan, it's not a stimulus plan," he said. "It's temporary and it's wasteful."
Mr Obama has stressed that if the US economy is to stand a chance of being rebuilt his rescue package has to be approved. In his weekly radio address he warned the American people that the recovery could take years rather than months. And he said while many Americans struggle they will not stand for party politics hindering any recovery. He said: "They will have little patience if we allow politics to get in the way of action, and our economy continues to slide. That's why I am calling on the Senate to pass this plan, so that we can put people back to work and begin the long, hard work of lifting our economy out of this crisis."
Mr Obama's Kenyan half-brother was arrested for alleged marijuana possession yesterday.
George Obama, who shares a father with the President, was arrested in Nairobi with one joint of marijuana, police said. He had been expected in court today, but there was uncertainty over when he would appear.
