Barack Obama

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ASSOCIATED PRESS President Obama and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel on the South Lawn in August. Mr. Emanuel is expected to resign Friday to run for mayor of Chicago and to be replaced temporarily by Pete Rouse.

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Pete Rouse, senior adviser to President Obama, is said to be in line to become interim White House chief of staff. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** President Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao meet at the United Nations on Sept. 23. Mr. Wen promised to allow a stronger yuan but said before the meeting that any rise would not be rapid for fear of causing job losses and business failures. (Associated Press)

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ASSOCIATED PRESS 'BACK-AND-FORTH': President Obama answers a question Wednesday during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of a home in Des Moines, Iowa.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS President Obama listens to a question from Scott Turner (holding microphone) during a backyard meeting that, because of rain, had to be moved indoors at Southampton Recreation Center in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday.

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President Barack Obama takes a question during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of the Clubb family home in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama meets with Jeff and Sandy Clubb and their children Tristan, 11, and Skyelar, 9, at their home in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010, before holding a discussion with neighborhood families in their backyard. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama speaks during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of the Clubb family in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama speaks during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of the Clubb family in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama speaks during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of the Clubb family home in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama greets residents during a discussion with neighborhood families in the backyard of the Clubb family in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama makes an unscheduled stop and greets students at La Follette High School in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama makes an unscheduled stop and visits the La Follette High School Lancers football team in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama shakes hands as he arrives at a rally Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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President Barack Obama takes the stage at a rally at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Barack Obama shakes hands as he arrives at a rally Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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President Barack Obama speaks at a rally Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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The crowd reacts as President Barack Obama speaks at a rally at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)