Obama Cites ‘Signs of Progress’

At his 8 p.m. press conference, President Obama announced that the $787 billion stimulus bill is having a positive effect on the economy. “We are beginning to see signs of progress,” he said in his opening statement. “We will recover from this recession. But it will take time, it will take patience, and it will take an understanding that when we all work together; when each of us looks beyond our own short-term interests to the wider set of obligations we have to each other—that’s when we succeed. That’s when we prosper.” The president is pressing aggressively for his $3.6 trillion budget, Politico reports, and making the case that his health care, education, and energy plans are essential investments, not wasteful spending.