Intel Chief To Join White House Council On Jobs

DARLENE SUPERVILLE

HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) ⿿ President Barack Obama is promoting his job-creation agenda at Intel Corp., the Silicon Valley giant known for its processors and a commitment to math and science education.

Obama named Intel's chief executive, a sometimes critic, to an economic advisory council as the White House pressed to build ties to business.

Obama's West Coast swing is highlighting his vision of making the U.S. more competitive globally through increased spending on research and education, while cutting or freezing spending elsewhere.

His stop Friday at Intel follows after a private dinner in San Francisco with the leaders of Facebook, Apple and other innovators.

Trying to draw attention to the need for high-tech jobs, Obama planned to tour Intel's semiconductor manufacturing facility with Intel CEO Paul Otellini. Before the visit, the White House announced that Obama has picked Otellini to serve on the presidential council charged with finding new ways to promote economic growth and bring jobs to the United States.

Otellini was among 20 business CEOs who met privately with Obama in December. Otellini has been a critic of Obama administration policies, saying they have created too much uncertainty for business. He told CNN in September that the policies had not resulted in either job growth of increased consumer confidence.

In explaining Obama's choice of the Intel leader, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama was not seeking to "collect people who agree with him on every issue, every policy decision made, but to create an environment, a council, where ideas, good ideas, can be generated."

Obama created the council last month and named General Electric Co. chief executive Jeffrey Immelt as chairman.

Besides touring the semiconductor facility, Obama was to learn about programs the company has to encourage studies in science, technology, engineering and math, and get people the skills they need to compete for new high-tech jobs.

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