A fiery President Obama Thursday insisted that calling back Congress from an August recess would do little to spur badly needed job creation.
"The last thing we need is Congress spending more time arguing in D.C.," he said, adding that lawmakers should be listening to "frustration with all the gridlock" from those in their districts.
The president has been slammed by leaders in both parties for not calling back lawmakers while financial markets nosedive.
Furthermore, some have questioned Obama's 10-day family vacation to Martha's Vineyard scheduled for next week.
Obama called for an extension of the payroll tax, additional road construction, approval of pending trade deals and reform of the patent system. He also said he would release a specific job-creation plan in coming days
The remarks came at a battery factory for hybrid vehicles in Holland, Mich. during an event billed as a way to promote new-technology jobs. But Obama seemed far more concerned with rebuffing criticism about his leadership ability.
"There is nothing wrong with our country; there is something wrong with our politics," he said. "The only thing keeping us back is our politics."
