Obama listens, learns from farmers

(Getty photo)

TAMA, Iowa -- Barack Obama today took his Iowa roadshow to this rural community east of Des Moines, where he met with farmers and local residents as part of a summit his campaign hosted on rural issues. Obama listened as locals told him what they wanted to see from Washington, including fairer farm subsidies and progress on health care. Obama vowed not to forget rural communities, saying rural values are America's values.

"We don't want to give up those values that are time-tested and built this country," he said in closing the summit, which about 250 people attended at South Tama County High School, the campaign said.

Obama's campaign says he will take the recommendations he heard today and incorporate them into a specific rural policy he will lay out in the coming weeks. He acknowledged that politicians always come to Iowa, make these kinds of promises, and then don't deliver. But he insisted he would be different.

Obama makes a few more Iowa stops before wrapping up his trip Sunday morning in Des Moines, where the Democratic candidates will gather for a debate on ABC. He's slated to visit New Hampshire Sunday, Monday, and part of Tuesday.