Bringing the recession-hit US economy back on track and creating jobs for Americans remain President Mr Barack Obama’s top agenda in office as he completes one year at the helm of the administration on Wednesday.

“I think the top priority, obviously is to continue to work hard on getting this economy back on track and creating jobs again,” the White House spokesman, Mr Robert Gibbs, told reporters at his daily news conference.

However, no special event is planned to celebrate the occasion, he said.

“He outlined some ideas in December on some successful programmes, some of which were in the Recovery Act, that many people have in the parlance, of oversubscribed in terms of the amount of money that was available but having applications for two or thre e or four times that amount of money. “His primary focus will be on creating jobs,” Mr Gibbs said.

Responding to a question, Mr Gibbs denied that the Obama Administration has lost touch with the American people. “According to any reasonable measure, the answer to that is, of course not,” he said.

He said: “The President isn’t going to get focused on the economy in the coming months; the President obviously has been focused quite clearly on the economy since his first moments in office,” the spokesman said. — PTI

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/10201401.htm