WASHINGTON (AP) " President Barack Obama for much of last year was cautious when talking about the economy: It may be improving, he would say, but millions of Americans had yet to benefit.
Now that caveat is gone, replaced by a bullish new message as Obama enters his second-to-last year. "American resurgence is real," he says. "Don't let anybody tell you otherwise."
Despite multiple signs the recovery is taking hold, some point to stagnant wages and an income gap between rich and poor. The clashing messages reflect Obama's need to boost his economic credentials and establish a post-recession legacy.
Obama's new message as he approaches his annual State of the Union address Jan. 20, comes as the public begins to warm toward the economy. An AP-GfK poll last month found negative perceptions of the economy overall are down compared with four years ago, with 57 percent describing it as "poor" compared with 83 percent who did in November 2010.
The new tone was evident last week during Obama's trips to Michigan, Arizona and Tennessee, where he touted the government bailout of the auto industry, unveiled new housing measures and called for free community college. This week, he is focusing on information technology and cybersecurity.