President recalls spirit of unity after 9/11

Obama made his appeal during his weekly radio and Internet address, two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

Coming in the aftermath of bitter partisan fights over government spending and tough criticism of his administration by Republican presidential candidates, his remarks were an overt call for greater cooperation.

These days, he said, the country is still fighting Al Qaeda, it is ending the war in Iraq, pulling back troops from Afghanistan, and “emerging from the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes.

“None of this will be easy,’’ he said. “And it can’t be the work of government alone.’’

In the Republican address, Senator Dean Heller of Nevada stuck to economic themes, criticizing the Obama administration for creating “more government that continues to impede economic growth at every turn.

Heller called for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and repeal of last year’s health care law. He also called for an overhaul of Social Security and Medicare.

— Associated Press

Obama losing ground with key voters, polls show White people and women could be a reelection problem for President Obama, according to an analysis of Associated Press-GfK polls. Younger voters and liberals, too, but to a lesser extent. All are important Democratic constituencies that helped him win the White House.

The polls found that Obama has lost ground among all those groups since he took office. That suggests the difficulties the president will face as he seeks to assemble a coalition diverse enough to win reelection in tough economic times.

— Associated Press