Striving to gain the upper hand on a crucial political issue, President Barack Obama is faulting Republicans for refusing to help him turn around the sluggish economy or support some proposed new tax breaks for businesses that the GOP has backed in the past.

Obama has argued that case many times recently. But on Friday he takes it to an audience of millions, including many who will vote in November's decisive congressional elections, during a nationally televised news conference from the White House East Room.

With Democrats in danger of losing control of the House, Obama is trying to convince voters that they have a choice between going back to GOP policies that led to the economic crisis or going forward with policies he says will grow the economy over the long term.

Friday's news conference marks just the second time this year that Obama has met alone with reporters at the White House.

He has appeared before the White House press corps several times with visiting foreign leaders. Obama last held a solo White House news conference in May to discuss the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

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