Fresh on the heels of his Afghan troop surge announcement, President Obama will be back on the road to kick off his White House to Main Street tour.
And this Friday, Air Force One will be touching down in the Lehigh Valley.
Obama will start his tour at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, Pa. where he'll talk with invited guests about the economy, jobs and the nation's revival.
"It's the chance of a lifetime," said LCC student Jake Weland. He doesn't have tickets, but is still holding out hope for an invite.
LCC students are excited now, but when word first came out that the commander-in-chief would be at the school many just thought it was a joke.
And who'd blame them -- I mean, this is the Lehigh Valley we're talking about. Not Detroit, not Midland, TX, hell, not even Elkhart, Ind. -- all places you've heard as epicenters in the current economic meltdown.
But maybe that's exactly why he's coming. The Lehigh Valley has seen trouble before and worked through it. It's chock full of one-industry towns who've been decimated over and over again when steel mills closed and coal deposits dried up.
Even bigger Lehigh cities like Allentown and Bethlehem know the effects of economic loss.
Can't you just hear Billy Joel? Wonder if they'll play it at the town hall...
So maybe they have the key, maybe someone will have an answer for how to break this rut and get more Americans educated into new, sustainable careers.
That's all education student Taylor Stehle wants.
"When I get out of school, I just hope I can find a job that is in demand and I get a decent salary rate to support a family and to support who I am," she said.
Amen, sister.
After meeting with the kids, the prez will shoot over to Allentown to gain support with the regular folk the only way they allow -- shaking hands and kissing babies.
