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Obama asks the public for patience on stimulus plan

It has put country on gradual course of recovery, he says

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Published: July 12, 2009

WASHINGTON

President Obama is stepping up efforts to maintain public support for his agenda as rising unemployment presents him with the biggest test of his political strength since taking office.

Faced with an economic downturn that has proved deeper than the White House initially projected, Obama asked Americans yesterday to remain patient, arguing that his $787 billion stimulus plan has saved the economy from collapse and put it on a gradual course to recovery.

"As a result of the swift and aggressive action we took in the first few months of this year, we've been able to pull our financial system and our economy back from the brink," he said, deflecting calls for a new round of stimulus spending and saying that his plan was intended to work not in a few months but over two years.

Facing an array of challenges on Capitol Hill and concern about the huge budget deficit, he cast his main legislative initiatives, starting with his call for overhauling the health-care system, as part of a long-term plan to rebuild the economy on a sounder foundation.

Obama returns to Washington today from a weeklong trip abroad at a time when Democrats have grown increasingly jittery about the economy and the political risks of the president's ambitious agenda on health care, energy and climate change, financial regulation and other issues. Aides said that Obama's remarks yesterday, delivered in his weekly radio and video address, were intended to help regain control of the debate.

He will follow up with speeches in Michigan and New York in the coming week, and possibly a prime-time news conference.

Behind the scenes, the White House is working to calm nervous legislators. Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, urged House Democrats in a private meeting earlier in the week to take note of polls showing that Democrats were in much stronger shape than Republicans on the issues of taxes and economy.

Emanuel assured them, according to those attending, that the White House "has their back" as they are being asked to take tough votes.

"We have to fly through a little turbulence," said David Axelrod, one of Obama's senior advisers. "But the important thing is to keep going, understand where you are headed and not lose heart in the middle of the journey."

Still, the shifting environment threatens to make it harder for Obama to rustle up votes from nervous Democrats who, unlike Obama, have to run for re-election next year. Some polls have found a slight softening of support for Obama and his economic proposals nationally, and potentially more worrisome erosion in battleground states including Ohio. "It makes everything a little harder," said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who will be on the ballot next year.

Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., said: "Everyone is concerned -- you want it to be better. I think everyone realizes this was a long-term process. We are digging out of a deep hole."

And Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, the No. 3 ranking Democrat, said of the complications from persistent weakness in the economy, "That is probably the most serious challenge we as Democrats face."

Republicans said they sensed a new vulnerability in Obama. They have been visibly energized as they argue that his stimulus plan was costly and ineffective, and that his health-care plan will mean tax increases and more government bureaucracy.