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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Obama insists jobs are priority | Obama insists jobs are priority |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address has said that jobs must be the nation's number one focus. | US President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address has said that jobs must be the nation's number one focus. |
| He said he was setting a new goal to double US exports over the next five years "an increase that will support two million jobs in America". | He said he was setting a new goal to double US exports over the next five years "an increase that will support two million jobs in America". |
| Mr Obama said stood by his attempts to bring about healthcare reform. | Mr Obama said stood by his attempts to bring about healthcare reform. |
| He also said he would try to tackle the budget deficit, announcing a freeze on government spending. | He also said he would try to tackle the budget deficit, announcing a freeze on government spending. |
| President Obama was given the traditional warm welcome by all sides of Congress and was receiving regular standing ovations. | President Obama was given the traditional warm welcome by all sides of Congress and was receiving regular standing ovations. |
| He opened his address by saying the US had to "answer history's call" in testing times. | He opened his address by saying the US had to "answer history's call" in testing times. |
| Global warming | Global warming |
| On the issue of employment, Mr Obama said: "People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay. | On the issue of employment, Mr Obama said: "People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay. |
| "Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010." | "Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010." |
| I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for president Barack Obama | I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for president Barack Obama |
| On the economy, Mr Obama said he had taken office a year ago "amid two wars, an economy rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt". | On the economy, Mr Obama said he had taken office a year ago "amid two wars, an economy rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt". |
| "But the devastation remains," he said. | "But the devastation remains," he said. |
| "One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder. | "One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder. |
| "I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for president." | "I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for president." |
| He said he would insist on the new jobs bill. | He said he would insist on the new jobs bill. |
| "The House has passed a jobs bill... as the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same." | "The House has passed a jobs bill... as the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same." |
| Mr Obama defended the controversial bank bailouts, saying they were necessary to save the economy. | Mr Obama defended the controversial bank bailouts, saying they were necessary to save the economy. |
| "When I ran for president, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular - I would do what was necessary," he said. | |
| "If we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost." | "If we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost." |
| But he said the budget deficit had to be tackled. | But he said the budget deficit had to be tackled. |
| "Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years," he said. | "Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years," he said. |
| The president also talked about global warming, urging the Senate to "advance" work in climate change, while acknowledging deep disagreement on a bill to cap carbon emissions. | The president also talked about global warming, urging the Senate to "advance" work in climate change, while acknowledging deep disagreement on a bill to cap carbon emissions. |
| On healthcare, Mr Obama said he took his share of the blame for not explaining the situation better. | On healthcare, Mr Obama said he took his share of the blame for not explaining the situation better. |
| But he said many Americans were losing their insurance, adding: "I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber." | But he said many Americans were losing their insurance, adding: "I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber." |
| The address follows the Democratic Party's loss of a key Senate seat in Massachusetts last week which has deprived them of a majority of Senate votes. | The address follows the Democratic Party's loss of a key Senate seat in Massachusetts last week which has deprived them of a majority of Senate votes. |
| The loss puts in danger the president's sweeping legislative agenda he set out after taking office a year ago. | The loss puts in danger the president's sweeping legislative agenda he set out after taking office a year ago. |