KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) — President Barack Obama on Sunday tied the hopes of a
faster American economic recovery to the booming Pacific Rim region, saying
"we're not going to be able to put our folks back to work" unless the
Asia-Pacific region is successful as an engine for the world.
"We consider it a top priority," Obama said of the region where his
administration is pouring in time and political capital to expand exports and
business ties.
The president spoke as he dove into a day of summit diplomacy, proudly using
his home state of Hawaii as the American foothold to the Pacific. The meeting
brought together leaders of 21 nations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
forum, whose members span from Chile to China and account for roughly half the
world's trade and economic output.
In the midst of a tough re-election bid, Obama kept his message on jobs, even
as he privately lobbied for help on containing the Iranian nuclear threat.
He was to cap the summit with a solo news conference in which topics on and
off his scripted agenda were likely to emerge.
Born in Hawaii, Obama reveled in having the world stage on his home turf,
while back east the Republicans seeking to oust him from the White House
assailed his foreign policy record.
Obama used his moment to signal to business executives and Asian leaders that
the United States has shifted from a post-Sept. 11 war focus to re-engagement
all across the Pacific.
"We represent close to 3 billion people, from different continents and
cultures," Obama told his APEC partners on Saturday, ahead of some Hawaiian luau
entertainment. "Our citizens have sent us here with a common task: to bring our
economies closer together, to cooperate, to create jobs and prosperity that our
people deserve so that they can provide for their families."
