Asia-Pacific

Obama bemoans desperation of people out of work

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-04 05:35

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama says a jobs forum he hosted at the White House generated many useful ideas for jump-starting job creation, some of which can be put into action "immediately" by his administration.

Obama bemoans desperation of people out of work
In this Dec. 1, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks at West Point, N.Y. [Agencies]
Obama bemoans desperation of people out of work

The president said Thursday at the close of the jobs summit that other ideas will become part of legislation for Congress to consider. He said he was most struck by the overlap between the sessions on specific topics, leading him to conclude that job creation needs to be better coordinated.

Obama spoke to a gathering of academics, business executives and labor leaders on the eve of the government's report, due Friday, on November unemployment. The jobless rate in October shot up to 10.2 percent.