US President Barack Obama on Wednesday named job creation as his top priority in 2010, seeking to revive America's belief in his crusade for change after a first year in office haunted by economic decay.
In his debut State of the Union Address, Obama admitted his White House had suffered political setbacks -- some deserved -- but defiantly vowed "we do not quit. I do not quit, let's start anew" on multiple crises at home and abroad.
Obama, grabbing the full pageantry of his office, in an address punctuated by standing ovations and some jeers from Republicans, reeled off a volley of plans in the 68-minute speech targeting the economic pain of the middle class.
And he delivered a candid assessment of his own performance, which has seen his approval ratings tumble from stratospheric heights to less than 50%, and support for top initiatives like health care reform fade.
"I campaigned on the promise of change -- change we can believe in, the slogan went," Obama said, recalling the days before his barnstorming 2008 campaign promises faced a brick wall of opposition in government.
"Right now, I know there are many Americans who aren't sure if they still believe we can change -- or at least that I can deliver it," he said, and bluntly stated "change has not come fast enough."
But he added, "I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit," We don't allow fear or division to break our spirit."
Obama reeled off a litany of proposals and initiatives, but such is the bitter state of US politics in a congressional election year, it was unlikely that he could muster sufficient support to drive many of them into law.
He defiantly vowed that he would not "walk away" from his stalled effort to pass comprehensive health care reform and said his administration's early actions last year had staved off a repeat of the 1930s Great Depression.
He demanded Congress pass a jobs bill and send it to his desk "without delay," and warned that if lawmakers did not maintain the strength of his bid to crackdown on Wall Street he would veto their bill.
"Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010," Obama said, and promised to redirect 30 billion dollars from a Wall Street bailout fund to help small businesses get credit and create new positions.
He also said the US government must double US exports in five years to support two million more jobs, and to boost commerce with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, but stopped short of urging Congress to pass trade pacts.
Obama turned towards foreign policy only towards the end of an address dominated by economic challenges, almost as an afterthought, warning Iran would face "growing consequences" if it did not halt its nuclear program.
He said in the speech in the House of Representatives, watched by millions on television and around the world, that North Korea was growing ever more isolated as a result of its pursuit of nuclear arms.
Obama called for support for US forces manning his surge in Afghanistan, and said US combat troops would be home as scheduled from Iraq by the end of August.
In another bid to recapture the heady spirit of change which swept him to power, Obama said he would work with Congress to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law banning gays from serving openly in the US military.
The president reached into history, seeking hope for future unity, and of overcoming the "numbing weight" of gridlocked Washington politics.
"America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, as one people. Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call."
Obama also hit out at the corrosive influence of lobbyists in Washington, and sharply condemned a Supreme Court decision lifting curbs on corporations openly backing candidates in elections.
"I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities.
Obama's ambitious reform agenda took a huge hit when Republicans seized a Senate seat in liberal Massachusetts last week, and the president is under intense pressure to show leadership and to restore his authority.
The president sent a signal to Americans worried about government debt being piled up for future generations, by promising a three-year freeze on non-discretionary spending.
He also said he would invest more stimulus money for job-rich infrastructure projects and touted his clean energy and green economy initiatives, promising to work with Congress on climate change legislation.
Given the bitter, political climate in the run-up to mid-term congressional polls in November, and some panic in Obama's Democratic Party, prospects for Obama's laundry list of initiatives look uncertain.
Polls show that Obama remains popular among Americans -- but confidence in his policies is fading: the president's approval ratings are at 50 or below in most opinion surveys.
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