Reporter's Note: President Obama asked for Americans to help him with ideas. I’m writing a letter to the White House each day, which I am sure just thrills them.

Tom Foreman | Bio
AC360° Correspondent

Dear Mr. President,

So off to Camp David, is it? Good for you. If I had a place in the mountains, I’d be there faster than Etta James can slap Beyonce. Pack up the fishing poles, load the kids, grab the cooler, and away we go. You should probably check to make sure President Bush didn’t short-sheet the beds for a joke anyway. Ha! I would.

In the spirit of relaxation, I’ll keep this short. You shouldn’t waste your time reading letters, when you can cool out with the family and get a little stress break.

But you’ve got the big speech coming up and I want to mention one thing. I know your speech guy has been in the news a bit: young, smart, poses well in pictures. (You know what I’m talking about!) Seriously, however, you need to have a word with him. When you spoke to the Democrats at their meeting in Virginia, several times you invoked the notion that economists are to be greatly trusted. Can’t remember the exact phrase, but you cited the urgent need for the stimulus plan and said something like, “This is not me telling you. Economists have said this!”

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