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Protesters on left and right greet Obama on visit to St. Louis

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 5, 2011 - President Barack Obama may have come to St. Louis to raise money for his re-election campaign, but he didn't find entirely friendly faces. His visit was greeted by protests from groups on the political left as well as the right.

Outside the Renaissance Grand Hotel, a group of protesters concerned about the environment urged Obama to stop the authorization of an oil pipeline running from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast. The project -- known as Keystone XL -- has sparked a backlash among environmentalists and farmers.

The demonstrators described the project as a 1,700-mile connection between the tar sands in Alberta, Canada and the Texas Gulf Coast. The pipeline, they say, would carry tar sands oil -- heavy bitumen crude mixed with sand -- to refineries throughout the Midwest, including Wood River, Il. They said they fear a BP-style oil spill in America's heartland.

Wei-Yin Ko, a member of Green Action at Washington University, said the demonstration wanted to warn Obama that he risks losing support among his core constituencies if he doesn't block the pipeline.

Ko said Green Action has been protesting outside places Obama visits around the country. Protests could continue, he said, until Obama's administration makes a decision.

"[The protest] will deliver a message that we support you, but only if you can stop the building of Keystone XL pipeline," said Ko in an interview before the demonstration.

The protesters marched along Washington Avenue until they arrived across the street from the Renaissance Hotel. The demonstrators chanted for Obama to cancel the pipeline, while some carried signs stating, "Yes We Can Stop The Keystone XL" and "Windmills Not Oil Spills."

About five minutes into Obama's speech speech, one protester who had managed to get inside interrupted to ask the president if he would "stop the pipeline." Obama continued his speech, but then referred back to the hecklers a few moments later when talking about fuel efficiency standards.

"We've got a couple of people here who are concerned about the environment," the president said.

Meanwhile, about 75 conservative activists, apparently less enamored of wind power, congregated across the street from Tom Carnahan's house for a demonstration organized by the St. Louis Tea Party, Americans for Prosperity and United for Missouri, all organizations opposing Obama.

"I just hope in 2012 we get enough people that are fed up and (Obama is) a one-term president," said St. Louis resident Ralph Stanze.

Some demonstrators brought signs with pinwheels attached, a nod to Tom Carnahan's gains from the federal stimulus bill. Tom Carnahan -- the brother of Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis -- is the co-founder of Wind Capital Group, which runs a wind farm in north central Missouri. That project received $107 million in tax breaks from the stimulus bill, one of thousands of alternative-energy projects to receive aid. Both Russ and Robin Carnahan have denied they have had anything to do with obtaining funds for the wind farm. Tom Carnahan has emphasized that the money went to the company, not to him.

Ballwin resident Chris Souza said Obama's agenda -- from the health-care law to the stimulus plan -- spurred her and her husband Greg to oppose the president. Greg Souza said he was especially troubled by federal bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler.

"Governments do not buy companies," Greg Souza said. "Whoever heard of such a thing? It's crazy."

Chris Souza offered her prediction of the 2012 election results: "It's going to be a landslide. Republicans are going to take the White House, they're going to take the House and then we're going to take the Senate. And then we're going to make some real change, and for the good of this country."

Some information for this story was provided by pool reporters.

Jason Rosenbaum, a freelance journalist in St. Louis, covers state government and politics. 

Jason is the politics correspondent for St. Louis Public Radio.