Obama seeks second-term jolt with economic speech

President Barack Obama sought to inject momentum into his economic and domestic policy agenda yesterday with a speech designed to clarify his vision for his second term and hammer Republicans in the House for getting in his way.

Obama defended his government's record managing the economy through the recession in his first term and said new spending on infrastructure and education were needed now to grow the middle class, which he argued would boost the nation's economy.

"As Washington prepares to enter another budget debate, the stakes for our middle class could not be higher," Obama said.

His speech was immediately criticized by Republicans for being long on soaring rhetoric, but short on details.