President Barack Obama today said 2009 will be a "difficult year" for the US gripped with an unprecedented economic crisis and pledged to unveil a slew of measures to create four million jobs to bring the economy "back to life".
"...At this particular moment, with the private sector so weakened by this recession, the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back to life," Obama said in his first news conference after assuming office on January 20.
In his opening remarks at the prime-time event, the President candidly spoke about the crisis confronting the US economy and promised radical changes in dealing with energy, education and health care sectors to create immediate jobs and stop the downward spiral.