Obama fronts up to frustrated public, including 'Obama Girl'

United States President Barack Obama is hours away from delivering his State of the Union address at a time when even his most ardent supporters are becoming disillusioned.

Only 22 per cent of the wider US public think the government is working well or even half well, according to a new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, and much of that hostility is targeted at Obama.

Even loyal supporter Obama Girl expressed disappointment towards Obama yesterday.

"I feel like he should be focusing a lot more on jobs and the economy," said Lee Amber Ettinger, 28, who caused a sensation in the presidential race with her song "I got a crush on Obama".

Now she gives him a B-, she told the New York Post, in reference to when Obama graded himself a 'good solid B plus' during an interview with Oprah Winfrey last year.

Many argue the upcoming State of the Union address is the most important speech of Obama's presidency thus far.

In it, the president will take responsibility for the political climate that has left a lot of Americans angry and frustrated according to White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

And while the speech will focus on job creation, helping the middle class, fighting the deficit and health care reform, Obama will also express disappointment at how difficult it is to change the way Washington works, said Gibbs.

The deficit and the debt burden have emerged as a prime worry among voters.

Yet Obama's new emphasis on job growth and assistance to the middle class as well as small businesses will require increased spending.

It is a conflict that scholars say is unavoidable as the White House seeks ways to bolster a sticky recovery.

Prior to the address, the White House laid out some of the measures Obama plans to take to help tackle the country's deficit, which rose to $1.4 trillion (NZ$1.98 trillion) this year.

It was announced this week that the president supports a three-year freeze on discretionary spending and that his middle-class task force recommended further tax credits and economic support measures reports CNN.

On the eve of the speech, aides also said the president would freeze salaries and bonuses for White House staffers.

Obama wants people to know he "feels their pain" at a time of ongoing economic hardship and frustration at government spending, said analysts.

And while he is expected to defend components of his domestic agenda, it is also felt he will admit errors made during his first year in office.

According to Gibbs, among Obama's tasks, is to "explain why he thinks the American people are angry and frustrated".

That would mean accepting some of the responsibility himself for what has not gone right.

Perceived missteps include the failure so far to get healthcare reform done, a poor job of communicating with the public and at times taking his eye off the economic ball.

The address is the President's opportunity to reassure Americans that the economy and job creation will be his number one priority.

He will follow up the address with a visit to Tampa, Florida, to announce an $8 billion (NZ$11.3 billion) award for the construction of high-speed rail links.

Aides said Obama was not about to give up on healthcare reform, but it will be difficult for Obama to revive that effort in the light of the loss of the Democrat's 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader signalled he is backing off the issue.

"We're not on healthcare now," he said.

- THE INDEPENDENT, NZ HERALD STAFF