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Tuesday, Oct 2, 2012 6:15 AM UTC

Rough economy in clear view for Obama on the road

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Topics: From the Wires,

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Sometimes all President Barack Obama has to do is look out the window to get a firsthand look at the country’s economic woes.

In Henderson, Nev., the presidential motorcade speeds past opulent homes lining manmade Lake Las Vegas as he heads to the sprawling luxury development where he’s preparing for Wednesday’s presidential debate. But many houses are empty, victims of Nevada’s foreclosure crisis, and others are worth far less than their purchase price.

Farther down the road, a golf course is abandoned, and a sparkling shopping center has no shops to fill its storefronts.

Views like these from the window of his fortified Chevy Suburban or armored limousine give Obama an unvarnished look at the country he runs — and the challenges he faces in winning a second term.

More Julie Pace.

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