More Election News

• WV: Obama Looms Large in Races
• PA: Bill Clinton Stumps for Sestak
• NY: GOP Optimistic About Chances in Empire State Races
• MA: Baker Works to Navigate Dynamics of Three-Way Race
• DE: GOP Comes Out Swinging Against O'Donnell
• Democrats Eye Several Pick-Up Opportunities
• MI: Bernero, Snyder Bicker Over Debates
• OH-12: Dems Hope Anger at Washington Will Topple Tiberi
• Despite Focus on Nat'l Economy, Local Issues Could Sway Senate Races
• WI: Record Turnout Expected for Tuesday's Primary
• IN: Three Races Could Help Determine Control of House
• NY: GOP Candidates Face Long Odds
• FL: Scott, Sink Tout Plans for Economy, Jobs, Taxes

President Obama has long granted that the American economy is not recovering quickly enough, so it was no surprise when he emphasized that he understood Americans' frustration and anger about economic progress that has been "painfully slow" at a news conference in the East Wing at the White House on Friday.

But Obama was also notably forthcoming in admitting to his administration's shortcomings on other issues less than two months before voters cast their ballots in midterm elections, which are looking increasingly bleak for Democratic candidates nationwide.

Asked whether the Guantanamo Bay detention camp would remain open for yet another year after he vowed as a candidate to close it during his first year in office, the president admitted that he had not fulfilled his promise.

"We have succeeded on delivering a lot of campaign promises that we made; one where we've fallen short is closing Guantanamo," Obama said. "I wanted to close it sooner. We have missed that deadline. It's not for lack of trying. It's because the politics of it are difficult."

Even as the White House has tried to shift its focus squarely on the economy, the latter half of Friday's press conference featured several questions on issues that have stymied the White House to varying degrees.

Obama was asked whether it was a failure of his administration not to have captured or killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after vowing to run a smarter war on terror than his predecessor, President George W. Bush, who failed to find bin Laden after more than seven years of trying to do so.

"I think capturing or killing Bin Laden and [al Qaeda deputy commander Ayman al-] Zawahiri would be extremely important to our national security," Obama said. "It wouldn't solve all our problems, but it remains a high priority for this administration."

Earlier in the press conference, Obama was asked how he had delivered on the central theme of his 2008 campaign: his vow to change Washington's political culture.

The president initially responded by listing policy achievements before turning to the more abstract intent of the question.

"Now if you're asking why haven't I been able to create a greater spirit of cooperation in Washington, I think that's fair," Obama said. "I'm as frustrated as anybody by it. I think part of it has to do with the fact that when we came into office, we came in under very tough economic circumstances, and I think that some of the Republican leaders made a decision that we're going to sit on the sidelines and watch Democrats try to solve it, and we got a lot of resistance very early."

Obama's pivot to placing blame on Republicans was an election season nod to Democrats who have been pleading with the White House to acknowledge partisan realities and take a firmer line against the opposition, rather than condemning both parties so frequently.

Still, Obama demonstrated at Friday's press conference that he is often more willing to concede certain points of criticism directed at his administration than his predecessor typically was.

Obama even took a moment to praise Bush, a man whose administration he has for years blamed for many of the nation's problems, a day before the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"One of the things that I most admired about President Bush was after 9/11, him being crystal clear about the fact that we are not at war with Islam," Obama said. "We are at war with terrorists, murderers who had perverted Islam and stolen its banner to carry out their outrageous acts, and I was so proud of the country rallying around that idea at that moment."

He may have been in a humble mood on Friday, but as the political rhetoric heats up over the coming weeks leading up to Election Day, Obama will almost certainly take a tougher line as Democrats look to him to make the case for why their party should be entrusted to continue to run Congress.