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Obama To Hold Facebook Town Hall In California

WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) — President Barack Obama intends to hold a town hall-style session on Facebook later this month during a trip to California.

Social media has been a popular means for Obama to communicate with supporters, particularly during his 2008 presidential campaign. The White House is eager to tap into the youthful audience that drives Facebook.

Facebook is talking to former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about joining its communications team, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

The Facebook session will be conducted April 20 from Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. According to an announcement posted on the White House Facebook page, the session will include company CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. It will be streamed live over the Internet.

The White House says Obama will conduct a discussion on the economy and the need to reduce the government's debt while still spending on innovation and other administration priorities.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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