2/07/09 President Obama's Weekly Radio Address

Read the full text of the President's address . . .

During his weekly radio address, Saturday, President Obama praised the Senate's passage of the Economic Stimulus Plan: “Democrats and Republicans came together in the Senate and responded appropriately to the urgency this moment demands,... In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face. That was, after all, what last November’s election was all about.”

But Obama tempered his compliment by urging the Congress to “put this plan in motion” without delay. President Obama continued: “Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it’s received over the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come.”

Obama warned that every day that goes by without passage of the stimulus plan results in dire repercussions for the citizens of the nation and accused those who promote in congressional bickering will only "make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary" by making an acute economic situation in a much worse "national catastrophe."

The White house is working feverishly behind the scenes to join the House and Senate versions of the bill into a plan that the president can sign before the end of next week.

The president; fully aware of the deepening recession and increasing unemployment rate is mindful that: “Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we’re equal to the task before us,... Let’s show them that we are. And let’s do whatever it takes to keep the promise of America alive in our time.”

As if unsure whether the country realizes the importance of the economic stimulus bill, the president emphasized it's importance as a beginning back on the road to economic recovery: “That’s what is at stake with this plan: putting Americans back to work.”

The president will also embark on a journey reminiscent of the 2008 election campaign as he is traveling to Indiana on Monday where he will attempt to build public support for the stimulus package as conducts a town-hall meeting.

According to the Los Angeles Times; the president "...also planned to hold his first prime-time news conference Monday night."

After the press conference, the president will depart for Florida where he will speak Tuesday, according to the New York Times about the benefits the stimulus will create for "485 schools would be upgraded, ... which the administration says would create a cascade of new jobs."

And finally the president will travel to Ohio to tout, according to the New York Times, that "4.5 million workers would receive tax relief of up to $1,000, " because of the passage of the stimulus.

Mr. Obama pointed out in his address yesterday that: "The American people know that our challenges are great,... They don’t expect Democratic solutions or Republican solutions — they expect American solutions.”