US Pres Obama won't give up on health care reform but refocuses on jobs

US President Barack Obama said in his first State of the Union address to the American people last night that creating jobs must be the nation's number one focus, thus shifting gear for the second year of his administration to employment and education reform.

'The shift away from health care reform and climate change demonstrates the impact last week's Republican win in the Massachusetts Senate race has had on the President's agenda. Scott Brown's victory gave the GOP [the Republicans] the votes it needs in the Senate to block Obama's most ambitious - and partisan - goals,' noted the Fox News service.

Last year, Pres Obama's main legislative priority was health care reform, but as the bill became mired in Congress and unemployment rose to 10%, it became clear the public was more concerned about job creation and reducing the deficit, said the UK public broadcaster the BBC's Washington DC correspondent, Richard Lister.