Opinion polls show that those under 30 are less likely than older Americans to be paying attention to the health care debate. That might have hindered Obama's efforts to generate public approval for his plan, as reflected in the polls, even though younger voters supported him more heavily than any other age group in the 2008 election.
In an effort to draw students into the issue, the White House set up a live online video stream of the campus event through a social-networking application designed to let Facebook users watch and comment on the speech as Obama was speaking.
Several hours before the president's appearance, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. criticized Obama's health care initiative during a conference call sponsored by the Republican National Committee.
Ehrlich, now host of a weekly radio talk show, said the president finds himself "in a difficult situation."
The public hasn't rallied in overwhelming numbers behind Obama's health care plan, Ehrlich said, and "he has to placate his left wing," which is unhappy because he is willing to sacrifice a public option to get legislation through Congress that he can sign.
"It's the reason for the road show. It's the reason he's in Maryland today," Ehrlich said.
The former governor drew only one question from reporters, which dealt with his plans for 2010. Ehrlich, who has a fundraising event scheduled soon, said he hasn't ruled out a run, presumably for his old job, but has no timeline for making a decision.
"Events occur. Life unfolds," he said. "It's certainly something that we're looking at."
