Obama planning to create 2.5 million jobs

Published on Sunday 23 November 2008 13:06

President-elect Barack Obama sought to bring some relief to Americans anxious about their economic futures, outlining a plan to create 2.5 million jobs with public works programmes that will rebuild roads and bridges, modernise schools and create alternative energy sources.

The new recovery plan being developed aims to create millions of new jobs by January 2011. Mr Obama wants Congress to approve it quickly so he can sign it shortly after his inauguration.

"These aren't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis; these are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long," Mr Obama said in the weekly Democratic radio address.

He called the plan "big enough to meet the challenges we face" and said that it will jump-start job creation and lay the foundation for a strong economy.

"We'll be working out the details in the weeks ahead, but it will be a two-year, nationwide effort to jump-start job creation in America and lay the foundation for a strong and growing economy," Mr Obama said.

Mr Obama named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary. Mr Gibbs went to work for Mr Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Mr Obama was in the Senate.

Mr Obama's new director of communications will be Ellen Moran, who is currently executive director of the Washington women's political group EMILY's List. Ms Moran will join a team of longtime close advisers who will work closely with Mr Obama on a daily basis.

Her deputy in the White House will be Dan Pfeiffer, who is communications director for Mr Obama's presidential transition team. He helped manage the press operation on the Obama campaign.

Mr Gibbs went to work for Mr Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Mr Obama was in the Senate.