Vice President Biden said he understood voter frustration toward the Obama administration on the economy.
He said Thursday that even though the economic downturn started during the George W. Bush administration, it didn't matter now that the Obama administration is in charge.
"Even though 50-some percent of the American people think the economy tanked because of the last administration, that's not relevant," Biden said in an interview with local Florida radio station WLRN. "What's relevant is we're in charge. And right now, we are the ones in charge and it's gotten better but it hasn't gotten good enough and in states like Florida it's become even more stagnant because of the real estate market."
The nation's slow recovery from the recession that began in 2008 has been a drag on the president's approval ratings and his reelection chances.
Unemployment is at 9.1 percent, according to the Labor Department, and the economy's slow growth has many worried about the nation falling into another recession.
The Commerce Department did report Thursday that the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by a larger amount than previously thought, as it issued its third and final estimate for that period. The government previously put economic growth at 1.0 percent, while its first estimate in July put it at 1.3 percent.
Biden said that he understood why some Americans, especially the ones in states particularly hard-hit by the economy, are frustrated.
"And so I don't blame them for being mad. We're in charge — so they're angry," Biden said.
Biden said the upcoming presidential elections would be a referendum on himself, President Obama and the economy.
"Right now, understandably, totally legitimate, this is a referendum on Obama and Biden and the nature of the state of the economy," Biden said. "It's soon going to be a choice."
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