President Obama, road-testing his new message of bipartisan cooperation here on Friday, promoted his education agenda with Jeb Bush, the former Republican governor, and then used his first stump speech of the 2012 season to call on Democrats to "find common ground."

Florida will be a critical state for Mr. Obama in 2012, and Mr. Obama used his visit here to continue his effort to reposition himself toward the political center. But while he has tried to remain above the political fray in Washington, employing the classic Rose Garden strategy here in Florida seemed a bit trickier.

His appearance with Mr. Bush seemed awkward at best. And his strikingly nonpartisan campaign speech, at back-to-back fund-raisers for Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, and other Democrats, left some in his party a bit puzzled.