Geithner: Obama didn't fumble focus on jobs

WILMINGTON, N.C. - There's a sharp difference of opinion among Americans on how President Obama is doing his job. According to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, 46 percent approve, and 46 percent disapprove.

On the critical issue of job creation, only 35 percent approve. CBS News chief White House correspondent Norah O'Donnell spoke Tuesday with the president's point man on the economy, Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, as he toured a fiber optics plant in North Carolina.

Does Geithner have confidence in European Markets?

Can Obama turn around the economy before election day?

Geithner said Mr. Obama did not take his eye off the ball on jobs. "Absolutely not. He was relentlessly focused on it."

When asked if unemployment will increase, Geithner claimed if Congress doesn't act, then yes, "absolutely," and "growth will be weaker."

Watch the full report above.

[edmundlc]

Hey prof_robinson...let me respond to your reply to my earlier comment:
114 Trillion is a BIG,SCARY NUMBER!! By the way, 20 trillion of that comes directly from Bush's unfunded prescription drug program. That number for "Unfunded Liabilities" is calculated based on current projections of income and cost of benefits over THE NEXT 75 YEARS. So if you increase income or reduce the costs of benefits (or both) that big, scary number gets lower. The longer we wait to make necessary changes, the worse it gets. Obviously, you would prefer to eliminate the cost of benefits and further the entrenchment of the plutocracy. Do you really want to go back to 1929? Was it, in your mind, such a glorious year in our history?

[jayz1943]

Timmy, Timmy, Timmy...you are so irrelevant and you have ZERO credibility, just like your hero Obama.

[prof_robinson]

Really? Then where are the jobs? Hmmmmmm.

Seems to me you have only one of two options now: 1) either Obama (or the govt) cannot actually create jobs, or 2) Obama is a failure.

Or both.

[edmundlc]

Or neither...(1)when an economy is deleveraging a debt bubble, the only source of job creation is government, which provides the necessary stimulus that eventually translates to private job creation. (2) From the left and the right, Obama is a failure...but, from their extremist point of view, so is every other president. Between Bush's TARP and Obama's Stimulus, this country was spared a full blown depression. Where are the jobs...at least we are not bleeding 700,000 jobs a month like we were when Obama took office. He rescued GM over the obstruction of the GOP and prevented the loss of another million jobs. I am always surprised at how the right wing holds Obama in such high esteem...they really expect him to be able to perform miracles

[mainer501]

"Relentlessly"? That's a bit of an exaggeration.

[Achimaatz]

It's all so obvious: Obama is only focused on his re-election campaign, Geithner is focused on covering his boss's arse.

[edmundlc]

Contrary to ALL of the previous comments, I am glad that Geithner was able to adequately defend himself against the obviously critical and negative tone of the questioning from O'Donnell. Skewing the unemployment statistics is not being impartial. "People say" Obama was too focused on Health Care...sure, Republican propagandists say that. And there is nothing wrong with "blaming Republicans" for the mess we are in. They have spent the last thirty years digging that hole. I've seen this lack of objectivity from her in many of her reports and it disgusts me. Is she so fearful of the right wing media bashers that she cannot be objective? Perhaps she should just drop all pretense at being a jounalist and go join Fox News.

[prof_robinson]

Go to USDebtClock dot org. Look at the number at the lower right; unfunded mandates: 114TRILLION. That's social security, the great society, the new deal, and every other progressive utopian project from the last 50 years you've lorded over us as a sigh of your "superior compassion" - you on the Left have dug this hole, and you won't stop digging. Stop blaming Republicans; they've been the weakest of resistance to your fascist socialist ideas, and you fought them the whole way. This is your bed... unfortunately, we all have to lie in it - and hear nothing but you b*tch the entire time.

[credibility2]

Tax cheats, like Geithner and those that take them on in their administration such as our president, have nothing but contempt for the government, other taxpayers, and especially workers and other that pay their taxes on time. The only so-called jobs Geithner seems to have ever worked in were all political/governmental, which is another reason why this guy's views on jobs and the economy is flawed.

[mikeonthebay]

PSSSS Norah is in love with Obama.

[smittyc]

Obama spent his first two years in office passing the Obamacare bill. I'd say a fair assessment would be he ignored the economy and he ballooned the national debt, both making a bad situation worse. Obama ignored why he was elected, his missions was the economy, not a healthcare bill. I don't blame Geithner for defending his boss, but I do blame him for insulting my intelligence.

[stn_sage]

Listening to Geithner talk about the economy, the Fed, the value of the dollar, or anything else of this nature, is a lot like listening to Hugh Hefner preaching fidelity in personal sex relationships!
In short, he's talking about subjects which he has limited knowledge
of, or devotion to, but unlike Hefner, who wouldn't attempt to deceive you about his stance, Geithner, is out front "spinning"
whatever 'talking point' the administration is pushing at this time!