U.S. President Barack Obama says the U.S. is "moving in the rightdirection," with the first reports of economic growth in a year.
Inhis weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, Mr. Obama noted thecountry's gross domestic product was up this month. He said there willstill be "ups and downs," but that the U.S. "has come a long way."
Mr.Obama played down high unemployment figures, saying his stimulus plancreated or saved more than a million jobs. Unemployment reached a26-year-high in September, and is likely to increase.
Meanwhile, in their weekly address, U.S. Republicans criticized plans for health care reform championed by Mr. Obama.
Houseof Representatives minority leader John Boehner said a proposal to bedebated by Congress next week raises health care costs, cuts governmentbenefits to seniors and kills jobs.
He suggested analternative plan, including allowing individuals to buy healthinsurance across state lines and pooled together as groups. He alsocalled for limiting malpractice suits.