Jennifer Rubin is asking:

The speech, if you can call it that, seemed to be a disconnected collage of one-liners and excuses. He started off by explaining that "the debate here in Washington has been dominated by issues of debt limit, but what matters most to Americans, and what matters most to me as President, in the wake of the worst downturn in our lifetimes, is getting our economy on a sounder footing more broadly so the American people can have the security they deserve." Is he saying he's working on something the public doesn't care about? Not clear. Later he tied the two together, adopting the GOP position that the failure to address the debt in impairing growth. ("The problems in Greece and in Europe, along with uncertainty over whether the debt limit here in the United States will be raised, have also made businesses hesitant to invest more aggressively.")

[...]

As one GOP operative remarked to me regarding the ragged performance, "They don't know what to do." And it shows. An experienced conservative communications guru surmised that "they knew they had to have him say something today because if they didn't they'd have gotten creamed. ( 'Is he hiding? What's he got to say for himself?') But they constantly put him out there and it's wearing everyone down." The guru added, "Their policies are the problem, and the communications portion is just a layer on top."

"They don't know what to do" has been obvious for most of Obama's presidency. It is pathetic how Obama appears at a loss to explain his failure. He really doesn't get it and actually believes by promoting anti-business, slow growth policies that the job engine will ignite and create millions of jobs.

He uses business as a foil to pander to his base while wondering at the same time why they aren't hiring. Something is wrong with that picture and Obama will probably going down to defeat never understanding why.