Obama: "Steady progress" on fixing economy

President Obama defended his administration's economic record by saying that the nation has "made steady progress" during his term in office, and he continued pushing Congress to pass his $447 billion jobs bill in an interview broadcast on CBS' "The Early Show" Tuesday.

The president spoke with local television reporters from swing states at the White House Monday, including Amelia Santaniello of CBS News affiliate WCCO-TV in Minneapolis, who asked Mr. Obama if he could tell Americans that they were better off than they were four years ago.

"We are better off now than we would have been if I hadn't taken all the steps that we took," Mr. Obama said. "I don't think the country's stronger yet than it was when the economy was still booming and we didn't have the Wall Street crisis and we didn't have the housing bubble burst, but we've made steady progress. We just need to make more."

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The president said he wasn't dodging responsibility for the economy's slow recovery from the recession that started during the Bush administration.

"It's always my responsibility," Mr. Obama said. "I'm less interested in allocating blame than just making sure that we're taking every step we need to to move the economy forward."

The president said that stabilizing the economy since he took office in 2009 was one of the actions of which he's "proudest" and that he wants to lower the nation's high unemployment rate.

"Opening up opportunity and making this economy work for everybody, not just a few at the top, that's got to be our number-one priority," Mr. Obama said.

Alex Sundby
Alex Sundby is a senior news editor for CBSNews.com

13 Comments Add a Comment

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stn_sage says:: I have no idea what he's talking about when he says,
the nation has "made steady progress"!
During his administration, we've had the mortgage crisis,
the taxpayer money, bonanza giveaway to Wall St. and the Fed,
more jobs leave the country, but somehow, he believes we're
better off than we would be, if he hadn't taken the actions
he took!
Personally, I wish we could have a 're-do' on this and see!
That is, undo his actions and see if we would have been better
off!
I seriously doubt, we would have been any worse off, and the
taxpayers wouldn't have been saddled with trillions of dollars
of toxic derivatives and junk bonds to bailout the investment
industry!; reply

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petemcm says:

Progress: 500 million in loans to Solyndra (bankrupt); taxpayers on the hook for 43 million dollars to another company that went belly-up; 800 billion in stimulus (includes Solyndra) that went where? Unemployment at 9% plus; a payroll tax cut that further endangered Social Security solvency; a so-called jobs bill that resembles the previous stimulus; forgiving student loans at the 20 year mark. That kind of progress I can do without.


ky1946 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; If the super committee does not come up with a plan by nov. 23, 1.5 trillion is automatic in 2013. Estimates to defense spending indicate one million jobs cut and upwards of 59 million in wages lost. The jobs are not there already. Another million on welfare and unemployment. Yeah, we need another 4 years of this b.s.


fishguru00 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; hope and change...

what economy is he looking at???

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ky1946 says:: How can he prove his statement. If I had not done what I did, we would be in much worst condition. All the spend, spend, spend and we are still right where we were. My 401 is still hurting, the real estate market is dead in the water and after three years people are still out of work. Where does the STEADY IMPROVEMENT enter this picture. IT DOES NOT!
Most people ever on welfare and foodstamps and all time high poverty and homeless. 99 weeks of umemployment are exactly that, 99 weeks. After that, sleep in your car, if you still have one.; reply

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rightbehind says:: Are you kidding!! The economy is taking off. There is a hiring boom in my area and lack of workers. The democrats have repaired the economy despite republican opposition. We need to throw the republican economic terrorist out of office!; reply

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gep1955 says:: Every time Obama opens his mouth I send another $100 to Herman Cain.; reply

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tsigili says:: The man suffers from delusions of grandeur.; reply

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JohnW9540 says:: Reminds me of the story of the man who fell off the 12 story building. Every tome he passed a floor the people heard him call out.

"So far so good."; reply

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gep1955 says:: By the way, raising taxes on the 1% wouldn't do anything. Confiscate all their wealth and you'll get about $280 billion. Our debt is $15 trillion. So to compare, saying if you owe $15,000 just steal $28.00 from somebody else and all our troubles are over. Pathetic.; reply

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gep1955 says:: As usual he doesn't or can't present any facts or figures to back up his statements and the useless reporter doesn't ask for any. If this was a republican president the press would be screaming, prove it, prove it!!; reply

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johngalt_as says:: As usual it concerns the meaning of what "is" is? How does he define 'steady' and how does he define 'progress'? Because if he continues to do what he has been doing, then it is clear to me Steady means more of the same. And progress means his goal of 'leveling' the playing field which translated means bringing down the U.S. He has indeed been the worst of any other president in modern history and according to him we should vote for and swallow FOUR MORE YEARS of him, his class warfare, apologizing for America wherever he goes, the First ladies' obvious bitterness, her hypocrisy about American's diets, more and many 'well deserved' and expensive vacations, their combined smugness and arrogance. Yeah, that's what I want four more years of (sarcasm)!; reply