Obama wraps up first-of-its kind Internet Q&A

WASHINGTON -- President Obama wrapped up a unique Internet-era town hall meeting at the White House on Thursday, pushing hard for support of his $3.6 trillion budget and asking people to be patient with the administration's efforts to resuscitate the ailing U.S. economy.

Obama said the precedent-setting online town hall meeting was "an important step" toward creating a broader avenue for information about his administration.

He joked at one point about the number of questions about decriminalizing marijuana, saying he did not think that was the best way to stimulate the economy.

After a brief opening statement, Obama held a microphone and walked the floor in the ornate East Room, gesturing as he answered questions in an event reminiscent of town hall meetings he conducted in person across the nation during his campaign.

White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said about 67,000 viewers watched the webcast, which was also televised on some cable channels.

Before the event, potential questioners signed up on the White House website "Open for Questions." The White House said 92,931 people submitted 104,103 questions and cast 3,606,286 votes on which questions to ask.

CNN reported that Obama answered seven questions submitted from the website and also took questions from the audience in the East Room.

Questioned about growing unemployment, Obama said creating jobs was difficult during these hard economic times. He recommended that the work of the future should be in more high-paying, high-skill areas such as clean energy technology.

Many of the lost jobs in recent years, Obama said, involved work that was done by people earning low wages and with limited work skills. He said it will take some time — perhaps through the rest of the year — before vigorous hiring resumes, and that might not happen until businesses see evidence the economy is rebounding.

On the home financing crisis, the subject of the second question put to the president, he was asked how his programs helped homeowners who are not facing foreclosure but have been deeply hurt by the recession. Many homeowners, after the housing price bubble burst late last year, owe more on their homes than the houses are worth.