Copycat? Obama Admin Plans to Address Economy on Palin-esque Midwest Bus Tour

If you haven't heard yet, let us be the first to inform you: President Obama is planning to set out on a Sarah Palin-esque bus tour throughout the Midwest. The purpose? To invigorate political support in some key, battleground states.

A rare spectacle for a sitting president to undertake, the tour is set for the week of August 15 and will be run by the White House -- not the president's 2012 re-election campaign. Still, many of the themes being addressed will most certainly play a key role in the American public's decision to either grant Obama a second term or send him back to Chicago. The Hill has more:

There's no set schedule yet for the president's trip, but it's almost certain to include a bevy of stops in states where the economy is sputtering, including states where Democrats suffered the brunt of their electoral "shellacking" in 2010.

Now that the nation's debt ceiling debate has been settled until after the 2012 presidential election concludes, the president can use this opportunity to change the discourse back to the issues of jobs and the economy. According to The New York Times, which first reported on the tour:

...Obama’s embrace of deficit reduction provides him an opportunity to help win back the independent voters who were crucial to his victory in 2008. But the president may need to do some repair work with Democrats angered by the deep cuts in the plan — and a perception, held by some liberals, that Mr. Obama was rolled by the Republicans in the House.

During his address to the nation on Tuesday, Obama made his commitment to changing the conversation apparent. In addition to, once again, advocating that the wealthy pay their "fair share," he said:

“I’ll continue also to fight for what the American people care most about: new jobs, higher wages, and faster economic growth. While Washington has been absorbed in this debate about deficits, people across the country are asking, what we can do to help the father looking for work?  What are we going to do for the single mom who’s seen her hours cut back at the hospital? What are we going to do to make it easier for businesses to put up that 'now hiring' sign?”

On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Jay Carney reinforced the notion that economic themes will be dealt with on the tour, but dismissed skepticism over the president's plans:

“He looks forward to talking to the folks about growing the economy, creating jobs.

The idea that the president of the United States should not venture forth into the country is quite ridiculous. It is absolutely important for the president, whoever that is, in the past and in the future, to get out and hear from people in different communities.”

The timing of the tour is likely strategic, considering the fact that Congress will be on recess. Rather than fielding responses from the GOP, the president will likely have a clear passageway through which to communicate his views without much retort. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is less than impressed with Obama's bus plans:

“I think everything that the president does is all political...He just so happens to be doing a bus tour throughout this Midwest, which is going to be a battleground during the upcoming election in 2012."

Currently, the White House is withholding further details about the tour. President Obama is headed to Chicago tonight for two fundraisers and to celebrate his 50th birthday.