By Sheryl Gay Stolberg - New York Times
ALLENTOWN Pa. President Obama welcomed with a broad smile on Friday the news that the American economy had lost only 11000 jobs in November as another hopeful sign." But he also expressed a note of caution during a swing through this Pennsylvania Rust Belt town saying we have a lot more work to do before we can celebrate."
Mr. Obama came to Allentown a city memorialized in a 1980s Billy Joel tune as the place where theyre closing all the factories down" to spotlight his administrations efforts to revitalize the sagging American economy. With millions still out of work joblessness is the top issue on many minds.
Mr. Obama is under increasing pressure from Democrats in Congress to take new steps to promote job growth. The White House says he will address the issue in detail on Tuesday and in a speech at Lehigh Carbon Community College here on Friday the president made no specific promises.
Even though our economy is growing again many companies are still reticent to hire theyre still worried about hiring" Mr. Obama told a crowd in the college gymnasium. Some are still trying to get out of the red brought on by this past year. Others have figured out how to squeeze more productivity out of the workers they have instead of hiring new ones."
This visit is part of what the White House says will be a series of events intended to get Mr. Obama out in the country to meet ordinary Americans and talk about how the economy is affecting their lives. Here in Allentown he stopped by a metal works company before his speech; when it is over he is scheduled to drop by a local diner and make other as yet unannounced stops.
In his speech Mr. Obama tried to personalize the issue. I know times are tough Michelle and I were talking the other day there are members of our families that are out of work" the president said. Were not that far away from struggling to pay the bills. Five six years ago we were still paying off student loans."
Mr. Obama also took questions from the crowd; the first came from a student who wanted to know if he would consider legalizing gambling prostitution and drugs to stimulate the economy. Mr. Obama paused for a moment as the audience laughed.
I appreciate the boldness of your question" he replied. That will not be my jobs strategy."
