Supporters of California's high speed railefforts found a friend Thursday in President Barack Obama who announcedthat $8 billion of the $787 billion federal stimulus package will bedirected toward developing high speed rail systems across the country.

Obama,flanked by Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary RayLaHood, said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgradeto rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be "along-term project" but said the time to start is now.

"Thisis not some fanciful, pie-in-the-sky vision of the future. It'shappening now," Obama said Thursday morning according to the AP. Obamasaid the rail upgrades are critically needed because the nation'shighways and airways "are clogged with traffic."

Officials with the California High Speed Rail Authority saidlast month that they believe they are in the best position of all thestates to secure the biggest share of the $8 billion because of Prop.1A's victory and because they've already amassed about $100 million inprivate investment funding which makes the Golden's State's project"shovel ready."

Thenews is of particular importance to Californians who voted lastNovember to approve Prop. 1A, which authorized the sale of about $9.5billion in state revenue bonds to begin the construction of a SanFrancisco to Los Angeles phase of the project.

Rod Diridon Sr., executive director of California's Mineta Transportation Institution also joined the president during the announcement.

"The announcement underscores the President's high regard for high-speed rail andits ability to create jobs and mobility for the United States," saidDiridon, a former chairman and current board member on the High SpeedRail authority.

WhiteHouse officials said funding will move into the rail system throughthree channels, first to upgrade projects already approved and only inneed of funding, thus providing jobs in the short term. The second andthird would focus on high-speed rail planning and then a commitment tohelp in the execution of those plans far into the future when thestimulus funds are no longer available.

Jeff Mitchell is a longtime California journalist and political observer. His blog can be viewed at www.bapolitix.org