Obama rallies New Orleans crowd, says he's 'just getting started' on agenda

President Barack Obama warned his critics Thursday that on healthcare and other agenda items, he is "not tired" and is "just getting started."

In fiery remarks at at townhall meeting in New Orleans before a "feisty crowd," Obama repeated his belief that healthcare reform would pass this year, and he again said that effecting change would not be easy.

The president drew raucous applause after he joked that he was taking criticism from the media for not solving world hunger in his first nine months in office.

Even as Obama said that change would take time, he did vow that he is "just getting started."

"I'm just getting started," Obama said. "I don't quit. I'm not tired. I'm just getting started."

Obama, who took some criticism for visiting New Orleans for just a few hours and skipping a stop in Mississippi before flying to California for a Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraiser Thursday night, boasted of his administration's efforts in the region devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The president said that he is "pleased to report that we've made good progress" in aiding the recovery efforts, cutting through red tape and preparing to prevent another similar tragedy.

"We've got a long way to go, but we've made good progress," Obama said.

Ahead of the trip, the White House pushed back furiously on criticism that Obama had not made recovery in the region enough of a priority, and administration officials repeatedly pointed to the number of Cabinet officials who have visited the area even though Obama made his first trip as president Thursday.

"Whether it's me coming down here or my Cabinet or members of my administration, we will not forget about New Orleans," Obama said. "We will not forget about the Gulf Coast. We're going to keep working, and together we will rebuild this region and we will rebuild it stronger than before. It is going to be stronger than before."

As the White House has fended off criticism, administration officials have been quick to point to compliments handed out by Republican Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has told news agencies that Obama's team is doing a good job.

Obama returned the favor to Jindal, who earlier this year was mentioned as a likely Obama opponent in 2012, after the partisan crowd booed the president's mention of the governor's name.

The president said that Jindal, a former congressman, is "doing a good job."

"Bobby, first of all, if it makes you feel better, I get that all the time," Obama said. "Even though we have our differences politically, one thing I'll say is this person's working hard on behalf of the state. And you've got to give people credit for working hard. He's a hardworking man."

While visiting the University of New Orleans for the townhall, Obama made slight but unmistakable attempts to compare his administration's efforts to those of President George W. Bush's administration.

Bush was excoriated for his initial response to Katrina, and Obama made pointed comparisons, noting that Katrina was "not caused just by a disaster of nature, but by a breakdown of government — a government that wasn't adequately prepared and didn't adequately respond."

Obama also heaped praise on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Craig Fugate; the president said he was proud that Fugate "has 25 years of experience in disaster management in Florida, a state that has known its share of hurricanes."

Bush's FEMA director, Michael Brown, came to personify cronyism and poor qualifications because of his efforts during the initial recovery.