ARNOLD — Barack Obama button sales were brisk, and people opposing war and abortion screamed objections as hundreds filed into Fox Senior High School south of St. Louis to see the president.
Obama is marking his 100th day in office on Wednesday with a town hall meeting at the school. He talked about efforts to turn around the struggling economy.
Among those struggling through the recession are 50-year-old Steve Gurnea and his 24-year-old son, Ben, both of whom showed up to see the president. Steve Gurnea works for a hard-hit auto parts supplier. Ben Gurnea is an unemployed carpenter.
Obama made several visits to Missouri during the campaign, including an October speech near the Gateway Arch that drew a crowd estimated at 100,000.