Obama's State Of The Union Speech To Focus On Jobs, Adviser David Axelrod Says

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's chief political adviser says the president will focus on job-creating plans in his State of the Union address Wednesday night.

Strategist David Axelrod says the White House takes only "cold comfort" from the fact that the president's stimulus program saved about 2 million jobs – given the millions lost in the deepest economic downturn in decades.

Axelrod says that the administration continues to share the public's "consternation" with the financial sector, which was bailed out with public money and has returned to massive profits and huge bonus pay-outs.

Axelrod spoke Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

Comments

[NeverUndecided]

12:07 AM on 01/25/2010

More empty words from the men who've done more damage to the propsects for progressive policies than anything inflicted by Bush (or McCanin if he'd been elected).

Obama was "our" man - and his failure to display even a shred of principled action will cost liberals/progressives 6 years before they get another chanc.

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

[peter777]

11:31 PM on 01/24/2010

President Obama needs to get advisors the know something about economic growth and job creation. Relying on a bunch of know nothing banking types like Geithner and Summers will not get it done. Bankers are not trained nor experienced in creating products, creating productive manufactures, or creating jobs. They are trained and inclined to speculation in everything else. Why put them in charge of the economy. Also, revamp the policies of the Federal Reserve. The FED has systematically and purposefully held wages down and let employment stay at high levels. The FED knows next to nothing about economic growth. Take control of it and its policies. The FED is a usurper of the Treasury and unconstitutional anyway.

[Kalie]

11:54 PM on 01/24/2010

Yes maybe Obama should have a great adviser like Cheney, who can just shoot all the people who dont have jobs and the problem will take care of itself.

[Broughden]

11:27 PM on 01/24/2010

"President Barack Obama's chief political adviser says the president will focus on job-creating plans in his State of the Union address Wednesday night."

Golly gee whiz! Uhm how about instead of focusing his speech on job creation he focus his administration and cabinet and himself on job creation. Im pretty sure focusing the administration on job creation will have much more of an effect than focusing a speech on it.

So far his speeches havent accomplished anything other than getting him elected.

[wagthedog1001]

11:34 PM on 01/24/2010

GOPers haven't had anything to do with that? GOPers and the entrenched interests of the plutocracy are destroying the best laid plans. Your lack of support for him and his policies does no good either.

[Broughden]

10:05 AM on 01/25/2010

I didnt say they (the GOP) didnt create the situation, but Obama's appointment of Geitner and Larry Summers has done NOTHING to fix it. His refusal to bring about reform and use the economic stimulus to create jobs rather than bail out banks has done NOTHING to fix it.
And politics isnt football. I dont "support" someone just because they wear a certain jersey or team colors. I support someone who policies make sense for and better our country. And right now, democrat or not, I have no problem pointing out the fact that Obama's policies are not helping this country.
Its this "I have to support my team no matter what" stupidity that has allowed the corportations to entrench themselves so deeply into our political system by turning one side against the other, and passing blame back and forth rather than aiming at the true problem: corporate lobbying and bought out politicians on both sides.

[DredLockRasta]

11:26 PM on 01/24/2010

What's the point? The GOP will simply come up with some fear mongering phrase, such as the Dems jobs bill will increase illegal immigration , or some such, and the population will revolt against it in town halls , then the some dems will recant and capitulate and vote against their president, then the whitehouse will waffle and the jobs bill will die. same ol same ol.

[AZDave2]

11:21 PM on 01/24/2010

Obama did have the right issue when he wanted to focus on Healthcare. The increases in Healthcare cost far out spend almost anything else in this economy except the cost of oil and gas. We can control Healthcare more easily however with simply taking away the Healthcare anti-trust exemption, limiting admin and profit to 5 percent, and doing away with the 'pre-existing condition' issue.
Now then we can focus on jobs. The Right had it all wrong when they claimed that the Stimulus didn't work. It extended 'unemployment Insurance', kept jobs of cops, firemen and teachers and started to move construction funds.
As far as the political side of this is concerned the Administration totally blew it! They didn't listen to main street...let me repeat...they DID NOT LISTEN to main street. "It's the jobs stupid!" I hope they get their act together because there is no way that the Republicans would do anything what-so-ever for main street. All republicans care about is the country club crowd!

[DavidShort]

11:15 PM on 01/24/2010

What is a job? A job is a need for labor. Until the market needs labor, there will be no jobs. Until a business needs to expand, or open for that matter, the fincial climate needs to change. We have heard the plans of this administration to punish the wealthy for being wealthy, rob billions from the economy with Cap and Trade, and to force all persons to pay more of their money to purchase what they call approved Health Care Insurance.

What will change this year that will answer any of those issues? The government does not create jobs. It can create an atmosphere that will allow the creation of jobs, but that is antithetical to this administration and its coherants.

[DavidShort]

11:30 PM on 01/24/2010

So close and then missed it. That word should have been adherants. Sorry...

[loulloyd33]

11:32 PM on 01/24/2010

Of course the government can create jobs, just look at the Iraq War. I mean everybody at Blackwater has their job due to Uncle Sam. I would prefer, however, that the federal government spends its money on infrastructure and education. Not only will this create jobs and boost the economy in the short term, it'll also have beneficial ripple effects in the future.

The failure of the last stimulus was that it wasn't large enough, and too few of the money went into investment and infrastructure. That said, Obama should have been honest with the American people and said so. Even worse, he was way, way off base in his unemployment forecast, so his credibility is shot. And now no one wants a second stimulus because no one trusts him, and that ultimately is Obama's fault.

[gtt]

11:50 PM on 01/24/2010

To misforecast unemployment numbers should not affect credibility to any amount. The administration officials said unemployment would not reach 10%. A foolish thing to say.
That it may get to even 12% only reflects how weak the economy has become, an economy that was created by failing to understand the markets and the effect of two wars - none of which President Obama was responsible for.

[Badger84]

10:49 PM on 01/24/2010

Want to create jobs? Gut NAFTA and GATT. End the race to the bottom.

[wagthedog1001]

11:21 PM on 01/24/2010

Our masters of the plutocracy would prefer to pay lower wages in Mexico and send the products here so we all buy the stuff cheaper at WalMart. Case closed.

Got a problem with that? Campaign against the corporations.

You can do it. You've got the money.

[Badger84]

11:55 PM on 01/24/2010

...and if people are are unemployed or marginally so, they will be lucky to afford WalMart products made in China.

[FZliveson]

10:42 PM on 01/24/2010

Jobs, Jobs Jobs= "Free Corn".....

Read this story about "The Price of Free Corn."

(I'm not promoting religion. This just happens to be the one place this story is told that I could find, without having to cut and paste it in 3 parts.)

http://www.gospelweb.net/PatrioticWorks/priceoffreecorn.htm

[rad21]

10:41 PM on 01/24/2010

A win-win scenario is for USA to open up the restrictions on foreign physicians from working in USA. These skilled individuals will fill the shortage of doctors - especially with the new healthcare system requiring all to have insurance. One physician employs four to five people - nurses, receptionists, transcribers, billing staff etc.

Imagine giving 100,000 visas to foreign physicians. That is 100,000 new home-owners needing cars, furniture, refrigerators, washing machines, computers etc. What could be a better stimulus to our economy? This stimulus would be achieved without costing the taxpayer a dime. In fact the high-income earners with the middle-income employees will be contributing tax dollars to the US treasury.

These jobs are long-term, cannot be exported and will provide needed services to Americans. These jobs would be distributed throughout the country in big cities and small towns. Properly designed, they would be produced about six months after the government issues the work visas / green cards and the physicians arrive in the USA.

It is nice and important to train US residents to become physicians. Yet that would take 10 years for them to start medical practice. That is little consolation to those who are currently seeking jobs.

[ScottiesRule]

11:06 PM on 01/24/2010

I have a great idea, why don't we just open the borders to any and all who want to come here. You're excited about 100,000 foreign trained MDs....how about letting in 20 million new ___________ (fill in the blank). That's 20 million new homes, cars, washers & dryers, plasma TVs, etc. That ought to get the ole economy hopping in no time.

[Kalie]

12:04 AM on 01/25/2010

Im not having a problem getting to see a doctor. I am having a problem educating my children to become doctors. What do we do with all the people here, oh smart one? You are not a US citizen right?

[wagthedog1001]

10:37 PM on 01/24/2010

I really wonder how much a president could accomplish if ALL the people would simply support the plan? When more than half the people out there are cynical, negative, or uncaring there is no human on earth who can turn things around with a speech or a snap of the fingers.

[DavidShort]

11:26 PM on 01/24/2010

What plan? Do you think we will get to see it this time, or are we just to sign on sight unseen?

[wagthedog1001]

11:38 PM on 01/24/2010

...which just proves my point...

[CreekCM]

10:26 PM on 01/24/2010

I hope he provides a clear road map of what he plans to do to try to fix this in his State of the Union. I need a job when I graduate, hah!

[Nancy Dionesotes]

10:10 PM on 01/24/2010

Here is an idea, Let us all do some research on who has supported with their votes the offshoring of jobs....then you can decide who will actually improve our economy. Republicans in general are bit supporters of offshoring American jobs.

[Mr Palsgraf]

09:44 PM on 01/24/2010

Here is what will happen:
Obama will give a great speech, and nothing will change.

[forty8r]

09:47 PM on 01/24/2010

You got that right because the GOP will obstruct any measure that will create jobs.

[lucas37]

09:59 PM on 01/24/2010

Sure. And the Democrats will waste more money like another 787 Billion dollar stimulus with 9000 earmarks that does nothing but helps their friends, perhaps?

[ScottiesRule]

11:08 PM on 01/24/2010

Right. Because a stagnant economy really helps the Republicans' investment portfolios grow.

[CreekCM]

10:27 PM on 01/24/2010

Yeah, because he isn't made of magic, ya know.

[DemocraticStraits]

09:42 PM on 01/24/2010

How many people here believe there were actually 2 million jobs saved?

Are we that gullible?

[LeifEiriksson]

09:46 PM on 01/24/2010

It's a total bullshit number that no reasonable person can back up.

[PBMac]

09:58 PM on 01/24/2010

Probably they mean two million hamburger flipping jobs.

[smearjay]

09:22 PM on 01/24/2010

What hapened to all the "Green shoots" in the economy the media was reporting on a few months ago.?

[OhioGDI]

09:38 PM on 01/24/2010

The actual number of unemployed is higher than advertised since some have given up and aren't even being counted. They spin it as a success because the RATE at which jobs are being lost is less? The fact is we are still losing jobs.

[PBMac]

10:03 PM on 01/24/2010

Yep, and I am in that group. Having lots of education (Ph.D.) is no help either because there is nothing available but part time work with no benefits--heck you are lucky if your employer takes out for social security taxes! And you feel lucky to get that when you can. I know I do.

[eddiestardust]

12:06 AM on 01/25/2010

Green shoots?

See, there was this Spanish Turbine company and I sent my resume..nothing...few months later I learned why...

THEY MOVED....

That's you green jobs right there.