'We want more visitors coming here,' President Obama said. Obama: SOTU will focus on economy

President Barack Obama offered a glimpse into his State of the Union speech in his weekly address released Saturday, making clear that – as expected – his focus will be on the economy.

“I’ll lay out my blueprint for actions we need to take together – not just me, or Congress, but every American – to rebuild an economy where hard work and responsibility are rewarded. An economy that’s built to last,” Obama said.


The White House has been reluctant to reveal too many details of the president’s Tuesday night speech. Press secretary Jay Carney said Friday that “our preference is really for the news to be fresh when the president gives a speech” and that “there will be new ideas” in the president’s remarks.

Obama did not make any major revelations in his weekly address, though he did make clear that he intends to forge ahead with parts of his “We Can’t Wait” initiative in recent months — actions that he can take without congressional approval.

“Too often over the last few months, we’ve seen Congress drag its feet and refuse to take steps we know will help strengthen our economy,” he said. “That’s why this is the latest in a series of actions I’ve taken on my own to help our economy keep growing, creating jobs, and restoring security for middle-class families.”

Obama listed several steps he’s taken since the summer — including the creation of No Child Left Behind waivers for states, the boosting of programs to help veterans find jobs and the recess appointment of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – but said that while “[t]hese are good steps, now we need to do more.”

Doing more, he said, will be at the core of his State of the Union address.

Obama also touched briefly on the trip he made Thursday to Disney World in Orlando, describing his executive actions to attract international tourists to U.S. destinations a way to let “the world … know that America is open for business.”

“We want more visitors coming here. We want them spending money here. It’s good for our economy, and it will help provide the boost more businesses need to grow and hire. And we can’t wait to make it happen,” he said.

And, as he did while speaking from the Magic Kingdom on Thursday, Obama couldn’t help but make a joke.

“To Sasha and Malia’s great disappointment, I was not there to hang out with Mickey or ride Space Mountain,” he said. “Instead, I was there to talk about steps we’re taking to boost tourism and create jobs.”