BarackSOTU

Obama’s message to the public was: ‘I hear you’.

‘Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010,’ he said as U.S. unemployment remained at a painful 10 per cent.

‘People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.

‘I don’t quit,’ he told the congress. ‘Let’s seize this moment – to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.’

He compared the United States to other nations: ‘Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China’s not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany’s not waiting. India’s not waiting.’Barackobamasotu

‘Change has not come fast enough,’ Obama said before a politician-packed House of Representatives chamber and a TV audience of millions.

‘I do not accept second-place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it’s time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.’

He said the country needed to make tough decisions on issues like climate and clean energy.

‘They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.’

He said investing in research on clean energy could create jobs.

‘But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives,’ he said. ‘That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country.’

Obama looked to use the high-profile speech to change America’s conversation from how his presidency is troubled – over the messy health care debate, a limping economy and the missteps that led to Christmas Day’s barely averted terrorist attack – to how he is seizing the reins on the economic worries foremost on Americans’ minds.

Democrats fear that the fallen standing of the president could hurt them in November’s congressional and gubernatorial elections. 

Obama’s message to the public was: ‘I hear you’.

 Michelle Obama SOTU

Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010,’ he said as U.S. unemployment remained at a painful 10 per cent.

‘People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.

‘I don’t quit,’ he told the congress. ‘Let’s seize this moment – to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.’

He compared the United States to other nations: ‘Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China’s not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany’s not waiting. India’s not waiting.’

‘Change has not come fast enough,’ Obama said before a politician-packed House of Representatives chamber and a TV audience of millions.

‘I do not accept second-place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it’s time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.’

He said the country needed to make tough decisions on issues like climate and clean energy.

‘They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.’

He said investing in research on clean energy could create jobs.

‘But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives,’ he said. ‘That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country.’

Obama looked to use the high-profile speech to change America’s conversation from how his presidency is troubled – over the messy health care debate, a limping economy and the missteps that led to Christmas Day’s barely averted terrorist attack – to how he is seizing the reins on the economic worries foremost on Americans’ minds.

Democrats fear that the fallen standing of the president could hurt them in November’s congressional and gubernatorial elections.