Obama’s Day: Obama goes to Mexico

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is going to Mexico City in what the White House says is a “signal of respect.”

Obama’s meeting Thursday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon comes at a time when the U.S. is stepping up aid in Mexico’s war on drug cartels and their deadly violence along the border.

The visit is Obama’s only stop en route to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago and offers a chance to discuss such issues as trade and immigration and underscore neighborly cooperation.

Before leaving Washington, the president will have something to say about the administration’s plans for high-speed rail transportation. The White House envisions it as a foundation for prosperity by connecting cities, untangling congestion and saving energy.