Obama focuses on economy in key speech

PRESIDENT Barack Obama last night tried to convince the American people and a divided Congress that he has a vision for speeding up job creation, promoting spending on the core of his agenda but promising to rein in a growing, staggering debt.

To a nationwide television audience, Obama homed in on jobs, the issue of most importance to the public and his hopes for a second term.

Specifically, he focused on improving the education, innovation and infrastructure of the US to provide a sounder economic base. He paired that with calls to reduce the government’s debt — now topping $14 trillion — and reform government. Those five areas framed the speech, with sprinklings of fresh proposals.