Obama's economic vision forged in college address

(AP) Obama’s economic vision forged in college address
By JULIE PACE
AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON
In 2005, just an hour or so before the graduation ceremony at tiny Knox College, then-Sen. Barack Obama was ducking into classrooms, seeking a computer to make last-minute tweaks to his commencement address.

The finished product was a 24-minute defense of the government’s role in boosting middle class prosperity and preparing the nation to compete in the global economy.

Much has changed since then, both for Obama and the economy. Yet the graduation speech at the Galesburg, Ill., college has remained a touchstone for the president and his advisers through two national campaigns and nearly five years in the White House.

Obama is returning to Knox College on Wednesday for another economic address, one that is expected to hark back to many of the themes from his 2005 speech.