Five weeks into his administration and just a week after the president signed a $787 billion economic stimulus packs, Obama relayed his continuing sense of hope in an address to a joint session of Congress that aired across America.

Obama began him speech by recognizing that "the impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere." But Obama says we have not been defeated, that he continues to have faith, despite record breaking unemployment rates, a cratering stock market, teetering banks and an auto industry on the brink of collapse.

"But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before," Obama said.

"The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach," Obama said. "They exist in our laboratories and universities; in our fields and our factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more."

Obama took this moment to point out those that are to blame for the present economic crisis.

"We have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn't afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day."

Obama delivered his address tonight while still enjoying a prolonged high approval rating from Americans. According to a recent Washington Post poll, 68% of respondents approved of how Obama is handling his job, and 60% approved of his handling of the economy. But the survey also found that Obama is losing his partisan advantage as a growing number of GOP voters say they are unhappy with his performance and opposed to the economic stimulus bill that nearly every congressional Republican voted against.

What if you had 60 minutes with Obama? What would you say? Tell us here!