President Barack Obama said that the budget cuts in local and state government have slowed the nation’s recovery. He added that congress has no excuse for not supporting the jobs bill that he urged them to pass. He said that it could have provided funding to retain public workers. The president said that the private sector is doing just fine. Slow Jobs Growth

The Republicans answered back stating that President Obama does not understand the depths of the economic crisis and he is too dependent on government to find a solution to the economy’s problems. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused his rival of miscalculating the situation and out of touch with the American people.

Obama’s campaign tried to contain the fallout. They complained that the Republicans intentionally mischaracterized the president’s statements. By midafternoon, Obama had to clarify his position after his camp is losing in the news-cycle wars.

President Obama spoke to the reporters from the Oval Office after his meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. He said that the economy needs to be improved. They are lots of Americans hurting right now and it has been that way ever since he came into office.

Obama’s campaign is trying to regain ground after a difficult week, which followed the release of the latest jobs report. It goes to show that President Obama’s side is still off balanced. Aside from the jobs report, other events that were against Obama’s re-election bid include Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s win in a recall election against a candidate that Obama personally endorsed and former president Bill Clinton’s argument in favor of extending the George W. Bush era tax cuts for the rich.

The setbacks have coincided with the latest polls that should a tight presidential race. Romney managed to closed the gap faster than what some political analysts have predicted.