President Barack Obama’s town hall forum at Fox Senior High School in Arnold gave six people, chosen at random, the opportunity to ask questions of the President. Questions asked dealt with such issues as the future of the American auto industry, education, and concerns about the environment.

The environmental concerns were raised by nine-year-old Laurel Bonebrake of Arnold, who attended the event with her mother.

“It’s an honor to meet you, President Obama,” said the nine-year-old fourth grader. “How is your administration planning to be more environmentally friendly?”

The President told her it was a great question, then talked about efforts to need to find a balance between environmental and economic needs.Later, meeting with reporters, the youngster said she was really kind of nervous asking the question, then added, “I thought that was really something. It was probably one of the biggest moments of my life, so far.”

Laurel had no idea she would have an opportunity to ask a question, let alone be interviewed by a gaggle of reporters later on.

“I had no idea I would be interviewed,” said Laurel. “If you told me before I came here that I was going to be interviewed by a ton of people I would have said you were wacky.”

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)

President Barack Obama spends part of his 100th day in office with a visit to Fox Senior High School in Arnold.

The President took part in a town hall meeting in front of about a thousand people jammed into the high school gymnasium. Some of the attendees were invited guests while others took part in a lottery for the few tickets available to the public for this event. The town hall got underway at 10:20 am, but a long line of people began snaking around the outside of the school hours earlier.

Senator Claire McCaakill (D-MO), who had joined the President on Air Force One on the flight from Washington, sat in a VIP area to Obama’s right. She was joined by Governor Jay Nixon, Attorney General Chris Koster, State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, State Auditor Susan Montee, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan, State Senator Ryan McKenna (D-Crystal City), and State Representative Tim Meadows (D-Arnold).

The President spoke for about 20 minutes before going to the town hall question and answer format. He stressed that while he’s pleased with progress made during his first 100 days in the Oval Office, he is not satisfied.

Heading to the Q&A portion of the event, Obama took six questions from the audience. Issues covered included concerns about the United States auto industry, improving our educational system in the country, the future of Social Security, alternative medical care, relations with other countries, and the environment.

The President left the stage around 11:35 to hop on a chopper to Air Force One and the flight back to Washington for Wednesday night’s address to the nation. [Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI]

Download/Listen: President Obama’s town hall in Arnold (1:12:00 MP3)

Senator Bond thinks the Obama administration’s national security policies are failing the country but are making the left wing of the Democratic Party happy.

Bond, speaking from the Senate Floor, says the Obama administration–while considering which Bush adminsitration officials to put on trial for abuses of power–needs to realize that the new administration is itself on trial on national seucrity issues.  He is critical of the President’s planned closure of the Guantanamo detention facility, saying Obama has no backup plan on what to do with the terrorists that are held there.

He also says Obama has stabbed intelligence-gatherers in the back by revealing CIA documents and publicly stating that intelligence officers had made mistakes in their work. 

upload Bond’s senate speech (12:54 mp3)