President Obama conceded on Thursday that he is playing politics to try and persuade Congress to vote on his jobs bill, saying he sees no other way to compel action in the Republican-led House of Representatives.
“I would love nothing more than to not be out there campaigning,” Obama said at a press conference in the East Room of the White House. “I would love nothing more than to see Congress get so aggressive… that I can’t campaign against them as a do-nothing Congress.”
He accused Republicans of objecting to his $447 billion American Jobs Act not for policy reasons, but because they want to thwart his reelection campaign.
“I’ve got a Republican Majority Leader out there who says his number one goal… is to beat me,” Obama said.
He challenged Republicans to explain why they are opposed to each individual initiative in his jobs bill, and criticized them for not producing a comprehensive alternative to his plan.
“Their big economic plan to put people back to work right now… is to roll back financial regulations… [and] eliminate the EPA,” he said. “Does anyone really think that’s going to work?”
Taking on a mocking tone, he offered reporters a “little homework assignment” — to ask Republicans for a jobs plan and have it evaluated by the same economists that reviewed the American Jobs Act.”I think it would be interesting,” Obama said sarcastically.
Admitting to disillusionment within his own party, Obama said “there may be some skepticism that I personally can persuade Republicans to take action.”
