Obama Jobs Speech Prompts Reaction From Republican Presidential Candidates (PHOTOS)

After President Barack Obama delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress on a new plan from his administration to create jobs, it didn't take long for Republicans running for their party's presidential nomination to react to the address.

Obama outlined his proposal to get Americans back to work as the nation's unemployment rate sits at 9.1 percent. Job creation and the state of the country's economy have been central issues for the field of GOP contenders vying for a chance to run against the president in 2012.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman have both released proposals to boost job creation in recent weeks.

Below, a slideshow highlighting reaction from the Republican presidential candidates to Obama's speech. (Note: We will update this post with additional reaction as it is released.)

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Comments

[dimplesmile7]

09:06 AM on 09/12/2011

This was brilliantly crafted by the President. Going public was excellent. If the republicans reject a jobs bill, they should expect a huge b*tch slap from the public. The backlash will be horrific and they will not bounce back from it in 2012. They ran on jobs and the GOP is avoiding the subject like the plaque.

[Maxwell Silver]

09:42 PM on 09/11/2011

PASS THIS MOTHA F***ING JOBS BILL!

[Brian Gilmer]

02:08 PM on 09/11/2011

All of the candidates are saying: "If I were President I would have said something different." Why should Republicans believe that what one candidate or another has to say has a better chance of getting enacted then what the President just proposed. If Rep Bachmann's ideas are so good then why not propose them as a member of Congress? Doesn't that presume that members of Congress don't really control the agenda of Congress? If Gov Huntsman's ideas are so good then why would Congress wait for him to be elected President before it can act on them.

[Bardach Osrama]

01:10 PM on 09/11/2011

Do you feel my change yet?

[Brian Gilmer]

02:09 PM on 09/11/2011

Many poster here say that the President is destroying the country. Wouldn't that be a change?

[gobizduck]

06:50 AM on 09/10/2011

I dream of the day where the daily headline isn't "we just spent another $400 Billion", and is more like "we just saved another $100 million today".

Ron Paul 2012

[gobizduck]

06:43 AM on 09/10/2011

Romney is bought and paid for by Wall Street. According to the Boston Globe, his company Bain Capital, bought American pad and Paper (AMPAD), charge them $100 million in management fees, dump the employees, stuck it to the stockholders and filed bankruptcy. This is not a good business man, this is a thief.

Perry forced teen girls to get vaccines in Texas. The company who made the vaccines, Merck is now his biggest donor.

Bachmann is a loon. Santorum wants to kill everything brown. Cain believes in Jesus AND torture. Huntsman still gets an allowance from his billionaire dad.

Ron Paul wants to end war and death, wants to clean up corrupt and wasteful departments of the government, has stood on the same principles for 30 years, wants to restore privacy and civil liberties and save our dollar from hyperinflation.

If integrity prevails, and those who vote care more about the country then themselves, he'll win.

[deebeedonny]

07:41 PM on 09/10/2011

romney's big plan for job creation, slashing taxes for big corporations??? the notion is ridiculous. romney is responsible for the outsourcing of tens of thousands of american jobs. romney, who made his mega million dollar fortune, buying and selling american companies, stripping them to the bone, outsourcing thousands of jobs. his investments included companies with interests in foreign countries, including iran, sudan, brazil, china, etc.etc., creating jobs in foreign countries, while he outsources american jobs. the theory of tax breaks for big corporations is toally ridiculous. his dillusional theory of, corporations making larger profits, they will invest more. hogwash!!! when corporations make ridiculous profits, they give themselves ridiculous bonuses. many big corporations have bankrolled gop candidates, including romney. ford motor co. has donated heavily and lobbied heavily for legislation that would permanently extend the tax code provision, that allows corporations to "avoid" paying u.s. taxes on foreign earnings, provided they keep those earnings in foreign countries? it opens the door for american companies to build and relocate to foreign countries, outsource american jobs, flood the u.s. market with their foreign made products, and pay NO u.s. taxes. sounds like something romney has done...anyone who votes for romney, or for any of the weak gop lineup...shame on you!!

[gobizduck]

06:28 AM on 09/10/2011

Ron Paul is a cheapskate! Returning half of his Congressional Budget, $140k to the Treasury the other day. That beats last years total of $100k. Who does he think he is, saving taxpayers all this money?

Actually, it's very refreshing to see someone who is a cheapskate with my money, what a campaign slogan..."Ron Paul, he's a cheapskate with your money"

[deebeedonny]

07:03 PM on 09/10/2011

how old will this guy be if he's in office eight years? about 100? is this the guy who is all for legalizing pot?

[minnieh6]

05:37 AM on 09/10/2011

I have already made my complaint and you bleaked it out so continue your suffering as you have no solutions thats for certain

[minnieh6]

05:35 AM on 09/10/2011

I missed our presidents speech, but my reaction to JOBS is those that had jobs abused their titles and ignored their co-workers abuses of which my family and I were subjects of it. As a senior I have no NONE sympathy for the lack as there are no jobs except for those deligated to continued abusing Not to say all but it's a bit late. We watched it and did nothing. just look how long Bernie, World com Enron etc.and the subjection of the lengthy discussions of their failures definitely provided no solutions. I believe our only solutions will come through prayer for definitely needed miracles. Please ACLJ simply ignor fake so called Athiest's illogical complaints Please no more discussion of that ignorance Please. As they have NOTHING and you know this as I am sure.NOTHING OK If the Ten Commandments make them sick simple stop looking at

[Intelligenti Pauca]

01:31 AM on 09/10/2011

Let's take a look at some of Rick Perry's accomplish­­­­­­ments­, shall we?

Texas is ranked #1 in the following categories­­­­­­­:

Number of Executions
Percent of Population Uninsured
Percent of Non-Elderl­­­­­­­y Uninsured
Percent of Uninsured Children
Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds Released into Air
Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water
Amount of Recognized Cancer-Cau­­­­­­­sing Carcinogen­­­­­­­s Released into Air
Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated

Conversely­­­­­­, Texas is ranked #50 in the following categories­­­­­­­:

Percent of Population 25 and Older with a High School Diploma
Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health
Percent of Non-Elderl­­­­­­­y Women with Health Insurance
Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester
Workers’ Compensati­­­­­­­on Coverage

This is how Perry has seen fit to govern a single state. With a record like this why would anyone with an ounce of sense want to see this man in the White House?

[CASSIE60]

08:20 PM on 09/09/2011

100 million people on twitter and Romney boasted that 25 thousand downloaded his jobs plan.

Well, we now know he can not do math. That was a mere drop in the bucket compared to 100 million people.

Elementary Mitt Romney...are you smarter than a fifth grader?

[allenglen6]

05:22 PM on 09/09/2011

I know he can't say it but I can I would tell you all to just kiss my !@#$ #$$

[Erik Jay]

04:31 PM on 09/09/2011

Ron Paul DISSED AGAIN. What a crock. At least Gary Johnson is here, but really... END THE MEDIA BLACKOUT on Ron Paul. Goddam media scaredy-cats.

[floridalib]

04:59 PM on 09/09/2011

He is irrelevant, and un-electable. Truth hurts.

[gobizduck]

06:24 AM on 09/10/2011

That's your truth, your Kool-Aid. Paul is dead even with Obama in polls, and as more people listen to his message, and the economy further implodes, people will appreciate his honesty.

[gobizduck]

06:15 AM on 09/10/2011

Toe to toe, issue to issue, he's the only candidate who can beat Obama. But his own GOP corruption machine will never let it happen, even if he wins the primaries, they won't nominate him.

The Libertarian Party is registered on all state ballots and would take him in a heartbeat, he's got a real shot there, but needs exposure in these republican debates before he makes the switch.

As a sidebar, Ron Paul just returned $140k to the treasury the other day, half his congressional budget, returned to the treasury, beating last years number of $100k.

I love this guy, and it's refreshing to see someone who is a cheapskate with my money.

[shrn]

04:20 PM on 09/09/2011

Because ms bachmann showed her disrespect for the president and didn't attend i'm gonna show my disrespect for her and not read her response to the speach she didn't go to.

[planetmondo]

03:58 PM on 09/09/2011

*Ahem^- Ron Paul said what?