AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - On a day when Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White kept his distance, President Barack Obama got a welcome from a group of Democratic legislators along with students at the University of Texas.

Obama delivered a speech Monday underscoring his commitment to higher education and said it's part of the answer to a strong economy. Most of the estimated 3,500 audience members were students from UT-Austin and other area colleges.

The speech was billed as an official government appearance, not a political event. Obama sandwiched it in between political fundraisers in Austin and Dallas.

Education is a signature issue for White, who made a point of not appearing with Obama in Texas.

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