President Obama: Small Businesses Are 'Backbone of Our Economy' and 'Cornerstones of Our Nation's Promise

President Barack Obama (2R) and daughters Sasha Obama (C) and Malia Obama (R) shop at One More Page Books on Small Business Saturday November 24, 2012. (Photo: Getty Images)

President Barack Obama made a quick trip to a Virginia bookstore in support of "Small Business Saturday" over the weekend, the Associated Press reports.

Obama took his daughters, Sasha and Malia, to One More Page Books in Arlington, Va. to encourage shoppers to patronize mom-and-pop businesses after Thanksgiving.  He reportedly encouraged people to consider "Small Business Saturday" as a local alternative to "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday."

"From the mom-and-pop storefront shops that anchor Main Street to the high-tech startups that keep America on the cutting edge, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our nation’s promise," Obama said in a statement Friday, according to The Hill.

(Photo: Twitter/@whitehouse)

"Through events such as Small Business Saturday, we keep our local economies strong and help maintain an American economy that can compete and win in the 21st century," he added.

At the store, Obama held up his BlackBerry, apparently looking up a book title as he spoke with shop owner Eileen McGervey. He said "preparation" was the key to his shopping trips.

President Barack Obama reads from his Blackberry cellphone alongside his daughters Sasha (L) and Malia (R) during a shopping trip to One More Page Books on Small Business Saturday. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

But what about the looming "fiscal cliff" that is scheduled to crush this exact type of business?  How will they deal with ever-increasing taxes, and the implementation of Obamacare?

Apparently the president brushed off a reporter's related question, saying only "we're doing Christmas shopping."

The White House says Obama bought 15 children's books that will be given as Christmas gifts to family members.

​The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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