US President Barack Obama today conceded responsibility for the Democratic Party's crushing defeat at the hands of the Republicans in the mid-term elections.
"Whenever, as the head of the party, it doesn't do well, I've got to take responsibility for it," Obama told CBS News in an interview.
The Republicans snatched control of the Senate, tightened their grip on the House of Representatives and won key Democrat governorships in the midterms polls on November 4.
"We got beat," he said. "The message that I took from this election, and we've seen this in a number of elections, successive elections, is people want to see this city (Washington) work. And they feel as if it's not working," Obama said.
"They see Washington gridlocked and they're frustrated. And they know one person in Washington and that's the president of the United States. So I've got to make this city work better for them," he said.
"I love this job. Here's, I think, a fair statement: If your name is Barack Hussein Obama, you had to have liked politics in order to get into this office...I got into politics because I believed I could make a difference, and I would not have been successful and would not be sitting at this desk every day if I didn't love politics," said the US President.
Obama said he has learnt his lessons.
"It's not enough just to build a better mousetrap. People don't automatically come beating to your door. We've got to sell it. We've got to reach out to the other side and, where possible, persuade," he said.
At the same time, Obama asserted that situation in the country is better than 2009 when he took office.
"It was worse, because the economy not just here in the United States but globally was in a freefall. I have great confidence in the American people and I have great confidence in this administration being able to work through and eventually solve problems. Sometimes we don't do it at the speed that keeps up with, you know, the press cycle," he asserted.
Obama said he would continue working with the same vigor and energy till the last day of his presidency.
"There are always going to be changes. We will be bringing in new folks here because people get tired. You know, it's a hard job. And what I've told everybody is...I want you to have as much enthusiasm and energy on the last day of this administration as you do right now or you did when you first started. Otherwise you shouldn't be here," he said.
"I think that what you'll see is a constant effort to improve the way we deliver service to customers... experimenting with ways that I can reach out to Republicans more effectively. Making sure that we're reaching out and using the private sector more effectively," he added.
