What role will Indiana play in 2012 vote?

WASHINGTON (WISH) - 24-Hour News 8 anchor Debby Knox was invited to the White House for an exclusive interview with president Barack Obama.

She and the president sat down one-on-one Thursday afternoon, talking about everything from Congress to the Colts and the Butler Bulldogs to Indiana’s role in national politics.

Indiana played a large role in catapulting Barack Obama into the Oval Office in 2008, when he carried the state - the first time Indiana had supported a Democrat for President since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Another Indiana win is something a June 4 New York Times article says advisors feel is “out of reach.”

Debby asked the president about his opinion on writing off a win in Indiana in 2012.

“First of all,” the president said, “my priority right now is putting people back to work. There's going to be plenty of time for campaigning.”

Obama explained that there are still several decisions yet to be made about his reelection campaign — pointing out that he doesn’t even know who his opponent will be yet.

“I can tell you, though, that I was very proud to win Indiana. I love the state, I love the people there, and we’re going to spend time in Indiana,” he continued. "It may not be campaign time. It may be visiting an auto plant, it may be helping our veterans to get jobs."

In 2008, then-Sen. Obama made 48 different campaign stops in the Hoosier state, part of his strategy to carry the state.