Jobs, jobs, jobs

28 January 2010 |permalink | email article

In his first State of the Union speech Wednesday night President Obama used the occasion to recapture some of the energy that propelled him into the White House. By far, his central focus was on jobs. “Rescue, Rebuild, Restore – New Foundation for Prosperity,” read the headline of the White House memorandum, summing up his message.

The president’s prime-time address, often interrupted by prolonged applause, and seen by millions of television viewers, came at a pivotal time with his health-care proposal stalled and 62 percent of Americans saying that the country is on the wrong track.

Disparaging “the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades,” he demanded new cooperation from Congress on three key issues – health care reform, the budget and deficit reduction.

“We can’t allow financial institutions, including those who take your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy,” he said in adopting a new populist tone since the surprise loss of a Senate seat in Massachusetts last week.

Later in the speech, he picked up on health care, citing the need for Congress to act, which drew spirited applause, and focused on Americans who have lost their insurance. “I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber.” 

He admitted having made mistakes during his first year in office. But he called on his Republican critics – who said they planned to be more respectful of Obama than they were last year when Rep. Joe Wilson shouted “lie” to the president – to redirect their energies and help him rebuild the economy and change the tone and culture of Washington.

The president, in an unexpected gesture, is meeting on Friday with the House GOP Caucus, and is about to take his message on the road to Florida and New Hampshire.

I thought, despite some unflattering comparisons with FDR and JFK, that in the speech Obama went a long way to reconnect with the country in a less rhetorical and authentic way.

John Podesta, a close ally of Obama, and Bill Clinton’s former chief of staff, summed it up in an interview with The New York Times: “He’s got to get that narrative back. That’s what he lost over the last eight months.”

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