Obama's first State of the Union

US President Barack Obama, in his first State of the Union address, has said that creating jobs must be the nation's number one focus.

Mr Obama said that he accepted that Americans were "hurting" but defended his bank bailout policy, saying it had saved many jobs.

His speech covered a number of key topics including healthcare and the budget deficit, and ended with the words: "We don't quit. I don't quit. Let's seize this moment - to start anew, to carry the dream forward and to strengthen our union once more."

But Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, in the Republicans' response to the address, criticised the growth of federal government, saying it was "simply trying to do too much".