Filling Gaps in the White House Website, Part 74

Mark Wilson of WTVT interviewed the president:

Mark Wilson: "As you know, in the Tampa/ St. Pete area, we're around 11 percent unemployment, among the highest in the country really, that number actually went up in 2009 after your first stimulus. So what would you tell Floridians wondering if you deserve another chance?"

President Obama: "Well, I think what I would say is that we're nowhere near where we need to be, but keep in mind that when I took office, we had already lost one million jobs in the previous quarter. We had lost more than four million in the previous quarter and we lost another four million in the three months when I came into office, so our economic plan hadn't even had the chance to take effect."

"We know the economy was contracting by nine percent when I came in. It was growing by four percent by the time the end of the year came around, so obviously the Recovery Act had an impact. But again, it's not enough."

"We've got to do more, and that's why we've put together this jobs plan that incorporates the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans, rebuilds our roads, our bridges, our infrastructure, puts teachers back in the classroom. It would have a direct impact on what's going on in Florida, and what we need right now is Congress to go ahead and act, and they have been not acting in the interest of Floridians or the American people."

Here are the actual quarterly data on changes in real GDP:

2009:

I. -4.9

II. -.7

III. 1.6

IV. 5.0

2010:

I. 3.7

II. 1.7

III. 2.6

IV. 3.2