President Barack Obama took a range of questions on the economy and other issues Thursday during the first online town hall meeting held by a U.S. president. Mr. Obama answered written and recorded video questions that were submitted to the White House Web site and voted most popular.
Nearly 93,000 people submitted questions and more than 3.5 million people voted on their favorite questions.The president used the forum to sell his economic plan, vowing his policies will help rescue the economy and build a solid foundation for long-term prosperity.
Mr. Obama warned the current recession will likely claim more jobs, perhaps through the end of the year. Mr. Obama called for reforming health care and making treatment and care more affordable to Americans. He advocated cutting taxes for the middle class, and also promoted renewable energy and making the country energy independent. On the auto industry, he said he would soon reveal his plan to bolster the troubled sector.