Obama promotes jobs plan on GOP turf

RICHMOND, Va. — President Barack Obama is urging voters to get behind his new jobs bill and pressure lawmakers to pass it, delivering the message on the home turf of one of his Chief GOP antagonists.

A day after presenting the nearly $450 billion plan before a joint session of Congress, Obama chose the Virginia congressional district of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Friday as his first stop to rally public support behind the plan.

He told thousands of enthusiastic supporters at the University of Richmond that their voices will make a difference in getting the plan through a divided Congress. And the president said he was pleased that Cantor and other Republicans had indicated openness to his proposals. Obama said he was optimistic that pressured by voters, Congress would do the right thing.