WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he's organizing a
wide-ranging White House jobs summit to "talk about how we can work together" to create jobs.

Obama said at the White House that a report Thursday showing fewer claims for jobless benefits is "a hopeful sign" but he also said that finding jobs for the millions without them remains one of his administration's greatest challenges.

The president said people "are desperately searching for work" and that the government has "an obligation to consider every additional responsible step we can" to get people back to work. He said the jobs summit in December will bring in experts in both the public and private sector to talk about how to get the job-creation engine running again.