Obama Focuses On Jobs In State Of The Union Address

President Obama, with Vice President Biden and House Speaker Pelosi behind him, during his first State of the Union Address. (Pete Souza)

Last night, President Obama zeroed in on the country's economic recovery while speaking to Congress and the nation in his first State of the Union address. He touted what the Recovery Act had done—tax cuts for "for 95 percent of working families.. for small businesses...for first-time homebuyers..."—but acknowledged, "I realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of men and women who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from; who send out resumes week after week and hear nothing in response. That is why jobs must be our number-one focus in 2010... I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay."

He also addressed the slow-moving, stalled health reform bill, calling it a "complex issue, and the longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became. I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people" and humorously noting, "It should be fairly obvious that I didn't take on health care because it was good politics.”

The President also reminded America of his campaign platform of change, "I never suggested that change would be easy, or that I could do it alone. Democracy in a nation of 300 million people can be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy. That's just how it is." And he warned Democrats not to "run for the hills" because "the people expect us to solve some problems" and added, "if the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town—a supermajority—then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership."

Video of the State of the Union is below; you can read the full transcript here and the White House has bullet points from the address here, such as the freeze on non-security discretionary spending and proposing limits on lobbyists

The NY Times said of Obama's address, "It was a confident performance, more defiant than contrite, more conversational than soaring. He appealed to and scolded both parties, threatened vetoes, blamed his predecessor and poked fun at lawmakers." Politico thought the speech was "a document of downsized ambitions for a downsized moment in his presidency."

And the Republican response, given by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, argued that Obama and the "Democratic Congress" are "trying to do too much" with "deficit spending, adding to the bureaucracy, and increasing the national debt on our children and grandchildren," adding, "Most Americans do not want to turn over the best medical care system in the world to the federal government."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 28, 2010 8:30 AM

Comments [rss]

breasticles

A majority in Congress voted and supported the bailouts. President Obama supported encouraged the bailouts. A majority of Obama's cabinet is composed of former Wall Street and banking executives. In his speech, Obama thinks it's a good idea to have more bailouts. This time he wants us to support bailing out small community banks. If we bail out the small community banks, they'll then hand out loans to small business, who'll then begin hiring workers again.

Of course, a majority of the sheeple will once again buy into the bullshit of "tax cuts" even while, at the same time, taxpayer pockets will be picked once again for bailout money.

Both Democrat and Republican parties stink rotten to the core. They're two sides of the same worthless coin.

The Supreme Court has sanctioned first eminent domain for private development and commercial use, and now they have opened the door wide open for corporations to complete their rule of our country.

JacqueMehoff

I hope he can deliver on the jobs but that student loan plan? am I dreaming?

verbal

Transparency is finally here; you can see right through this snake-oil salesman. Thank god we'll only have 3 more years of this yutz.

hotstepper

and then what Mr. Clairvoyant?

sfgal82

Blame bush, blame washington, blah blah... Bush is gone, and as senator Obama voted for bailouts, and Geithner allowed the bailout money to go to the same banks and AIG bed-buddies he's now screaming about. Please.

Spending freezes that take place in the future, Please. You don't like your senators and congressmen campaigning perpetually, but you renamed your campaign organization after the election and use these folks to perpetually campaign, please. Transparency, oh come on. The trillion dollar pork-laden stimulus bill passed during his watch did NOT spend time on the internet before signing, like the Lily Ledbetter fair pay act, it was posted only after it was signed. Hope and change, sure. If he changes his tune and actually starts governing, instead of trying to browbeat senators, supreme court judges and business owners, I might have some hope.

nomnomnom

Once they reach the Supreme Court, they're called justices, not judges.

Politburo

The Ledbetter pay act was a campaign issue. If you didn't know what it was about, then you obviously didn't care. Harping on that one demonstrates obvious partisanship. The stimulus is a fair point, though it was not a trillion dollars.

SonnyBobiche

Defensive, hectoring, self-righteous, self-referential, angry and petulant.

hotstepper

that's the GOP for ya. but how do you think Obama did?

NannyState

But enough about Keith Olbermann...

jchez

Pejman Yousefzadeh put it best: “It is difficult to catalog just how many contradictions there were in the President’s State of the Union address. A President calling for bipartisanship and an end to the permanent campaign gave a speech that was–in tone and in substance–a campaign speech. A President calling for unity gave a speech that practically cried out ‘all the bad stuff that happened was George W. Bush’s fault!’. A President calling for a renewal of national purpose spent large amounts of time playing class warfare games, and seeking to turn Americans against Wall Street.”

Politburo

A conservative doesn't like Obama? Break out the Drudge siren....

How Ya Doin

The fact that some people can vote is scary. For those that have forgotten basic civics -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5I2KFENjS8

Many people have no idea what the role of the government is.

sidenote

It was a great speech for sure, but unless he plans to materially change legislative strategy, it was meaningless.

Congress isn't going to be swayed by a scolding from the President to get things done.

ginger87

I thought he did a good job last night. He can't legislate that's for those children in the house and senate to do. It's funny how people say he is doing to much then turn around and say he isn't taking enough action. PS he is part of the executive branch, the one that carries out laws, he doesn't write them. He obviously can make it known what he would like to go into a bill, but once again it's up to the house and senate to write and pass these. AKA making speeches.