President Obama's "Continuing Disaster"

The economy is going through some tough times, and what we need is a little optimism from the White House to encourage people and promote the idea that we can pull through if we all work together.

That's the way Reagan would have done it, and in fact that's the way he did it in 1982 when the economy shrank 6.4% in the first quarter. Today, with the announcement that the economy shrank 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008, these were the encouraging words from Obama:

WASHINGTON -- President Obama said Friday the deepening recession is a "continuing disaster" for America's families after a new report showed the economy shrank at a 3.8 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century.

Obama cited the new figure, released by the Commerce Department on Friday, to rally support for his $819 billion economic stimulus plan that was passed by the House on Wednesday and is under review by the Senate now.

Obama said he's pleased that the House has acted with the appropriate urgency in approving the plan. He said he hopes to "strengthen it further in the Senate," where he's hoping to get some Republican votes. No Republicans voted for the plan in the House.

Obama told a White House gathering that the government can't drag its feet or delay action much longer.

With Reagan it was "morning in America". With Obama it's "mourning in America".