West Wing Report: August 30, 2010

The President's vacation is over -- and it's back to work -- with a long to do list.

Good morning from West Wing Report - and the White House is bracing for what's expected to be another poor unemployment report this week.

The economy has to create at least 125,000 jobs each month just to keep up with population growth, but the August report, which comes out Friday, is expected to show about 10,000 private sector jobs were created, with the unemployment report inching up to 9.6% from July's 9.5%.

The President will comment on the economy this morning when the press pool is allowed into the Oval Office for a few minutes after Obama's economic briefing.

In New Orleans last night, where he spoke at events marking the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the President told NBC there's no question the economy isn't growing fast enough - this as election day looms ever nearer, now just nine weeks away.

Obama also has some big foreign policy items on his plate this week. Tomorrow night: an Oval Office address to the nation on the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq - even though 50,000 troops remain and will continue to go into harm's way for another 16 months.

And on Thursday: peace talks with leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The White House has an ambitious goal here - a peace deal within 12 months.

Have a question for the President? Send it to WWR: westwingrpt@gmail.com and we'll try and get an answer.

- Paul Brandus at the White House