Obama says voters may blame him for economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama insisted today that the U.S. economy is digging itself out of the deepest recession in decades but conceded that "progress has been painfully slow" and many voters in November's elections may blame him.

Facing a rising jobless rate, Obama told a White House news conference: "For all the progress we've made, we're not there yet. And that means people are frustrated and why people are angry."

"Because I am president, and the Democrats have control of the House and Senate, it's understandable that people are saying, 'What have you done?'"

The president, who also is the leader of the Democratic Party, spent much of his appearance before cameras on the defensive, underscoring his frustration with being unable to convince the public that his economic fixes are working.