Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, and fellow Americans: Tonight we meet at an urgent time for our country. We continue to face an economic crisis that has left millions of our neighbors jobless, and a political crisis that has made things worse. This past week, reporters have been asking “What will this speech mean for t

"My problem with this is quite frankly a lot of it just won't work. A lot of this sounds like things we've already tried. You know more government spending," Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said in a video statement shortly after President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on his jobs plan.

NBC's Chuck Todd speaks with Laura Ingraham to explain what he meant when he said "our pollsters are concerned" about Obama's poll numbers. Mr. Todd gave a meandering answer that still leaves the viewer scratching their

Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) responded to President Obama's jobs speech Thursday, saying she'll tell Congress not to pass it.

"I am for Social Security. I want to save Social Security. It is an essential safety net for the American people. And number two, it is terrible politics. If we nominate someone who the Democrats can correctly characterize as being opposed to Social Security, we will be obliterated as a party," Mitt Romney said on Sean Hannity's radio show. At l

"Romney did well. Bachmann did well. She continues to impress me. And I think she's being hurt by Palin's indecision, or lack of announcing what she was going to do," Rush Limbaugh said on his nationally syndicated radio program. Limbaugh also criticized FOX News' debate coverage, saying "the FOX panel was actually not that much better than the

Sen. Sanders (I-VT) says the president's emphasis on tax cuts rather than infrastructure spending is worrisome. Rep. Ellison (D-Minn.), while mostly happy with the speech, worries that the president's call to reform Medicare and Social Security will lead to cuts.

American Crossroads asks: After more than 30 months of record unemployment, the question arises: How many jobs have Obama's policies destroyed?

(source: National Journal)

White House press secretary Jay Carney now openly says that President Obama plans on paying for his jobs plan by raising revenue. Earlier today, Carney said the plan was "fully paid for," but did not expound on that.

"This is one question that the White House and a number of Democrats clearly don’t want to answer. That’s why some of them are out there coaching people not to use the word Stimulus when describing the President’s plan. Others are accusing anybody who criticizes it of being unpatriotic or playing politics. Well, as I’ve said, there’s a mu

Obama Chief of Staff Bill Daley said the president's jobs plan will be paid for without borrowing money. Mr. Daley hinted that some of the funds would come from higher taxes on wealthier Americans. They "ought to pay a little more," Daley said.

Former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) to WH press secretary Jay Carney on President Obama's address tonight: "So thinking about those two, what can we expect to hear?--and I think the president's the greatest orator that the office has ever known." Mr. Ford ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2006.

"This isn’t political grandstanding. This isn’t class warfare. This is simple math. These are real choices that we have to make," President Obama told Congress in his address on jobs. A collective groan from the Republican side was clearly heard when Obama said "this isn't class warfare."

When NBC's Brian Williams attempted to ask GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry if he struggles to sleep at night because of Texas' high execution rate, the audience broke out in applause. Below is the transcript which includes the break for applause: NBC's Brian Williams, moderator: "Governor Perry a question about Texas. Your state has executed

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) is one member of Congress who won't be attending the president's speech to the joint session. Walsh says rather than be a prop for Obama's speech, he will return to Illinois and listen to small business owners.

Mark Levin knocks Ann Coulter for calling Sarah Palin the "Obama of the tea party." Coulter was also irritated that Palin hasn't announced whether she is going to run or not. Levin points out that Coulter's choice for president

Rick Santelli asks: "I would like to know — does Mr. [Tom] Friedman think Social Security is a Ponzi scheme?” FRIEDMAN: No, I don’t think it’s a Ponzi scheme. SANTELLI: Earlier in the show you said that we’re putting a burden on our kids that’s unsustainable. What’s the definition of a Ponzi scheme? FRIEDMAN: It’s a program

AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka tells ABC's "TopLine" that President Obama needs to "go to the mat" in his jobs speech tonight for policies that will benefit union workers. Trumka says if we stop giving the jobless their unemployment insurance (U.I.), or unemployment benefits, then it will hurt the economy. "We need to extend unemployment insura

"The President will announce he is putting forward the 'American Jobs Act.' His proposals, all of which have traditionally had broad bipartisan support that will absolutely, if passed, lead to greater job creation and economic growth. Congress can do this now, right away. It's fully paid for. If they come back from their five-week recess and decide

Charles Krauthammer calls the DOJ raid on Gibson Guitars "selective prosecution" and says that he is skeptical of Attorney General Eric Holder's impartiality. The panel believes that the case illustrates the administration's hostility toward business.

Bill O'Reilly says that President Obama recycles the same ideas he has already proposed for job creation. He criticizes the idea that more and more government spending will lower unemployment.