Jeb Bush will appear with President Obama in Miami

President Obama's 2012 strategy increasingly seems centered around one old mantra: "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

Case in point: The White House announced today that Obama will travel to Miami Friday where he'll appear with Jeb Bush at an event calling for increased federal spending on education.

The former Florida governor, a frequent critic of Obama's handling of the economy, has repeatedly declined Republican entreaties to run against the president in 2012. But Bush's endorsement in the GOP presidential field is sure to be among the most highly coveted--a fact certainly not lost on the White House.

For Obama, the benefits of sidling up to Bush are obvious, especially as the president attempts to recalibrate his image ahead of the 2012 campaign.

Obama has been trying to woo back independents and swing voters by talking up bipartisanship, a central issue in his 2008 campaign. Appearing with Bush could help boost Obama with swing voters in the state, where the ex-governor remains extremely popular.

Perhaps most importantly, working with Bush on a shared goal, like improving education, might temper the former GOP governor's criticism of Obama on other issues. After all, there's a good chance that Obama—like many Republicans—isn't buying Bush's resistance to a 2012 run, and the president is keenly aware of how his embrace of a potential GOP foe will play Republican voters.

In January, Obama praised Jon Huntsman, his ambassador to China who is leaving his post amid rumors of a 2012 run—jokingly adding, "I'm sure having worked so well for me will be a great asset in any Republican primary."

Meanwhile, the president went out of his way Monday to praise Mitt Romney for the health care plan he passed while serving as governor of Massachusetts—footage that could potentially be damaging to Romney's expected 2012 bid.

(Photo of Bush: Chris O'Meara/AP)