In a year-end press conference on Friday, US President Barack Obama brushed aside the suggestions that 2013 was the worst year of his presidency.
He voiced dissatisfaction with political deadlock on immigration and gun control, but was positive on the economy.
Asked to name his biggest oversight of the year, he spoke about his troubled healthcare law’s crush, admitting, “Since I’m in charge, we screwed up.”
“If I look at this past year, there are areas where there have obviously been some frustrations, where I wish Congress had moved more aggressively,” Obama said.
He added: “A lot of our legislative initiatives in Congress have not moved forward as rapidly as I’d like. I completely understand that.
The US president also said he would make a “definitive statement” in January about proposals by a White House panel to put a leash on the National Security Agency.
He said in “light of the disclosures that have taken place” and public concerns about the programmes “there may be another way of skinning the cat”.
Obama said former NSA contractor-turned-leaker Edward Snowden had caused “unnecessary damage”, but the president refused to say if the fugitive could be offered a pardon.
The US president highlighted improving economic data, claiming 2014 would be a “breakthrough year” for the nation’s economy.
He also stated that Congress should extend unemployment benefits for those who have been out of work for extended period of time. The current long-term unemployment scheme is due to end days after Christmas.
“We head into next year with an economy that’s stronger than it was when we started the year [and] more Americans are finding work and experiencing the pride of a paycheck,” he said.
The Democratic president is ending his fifth year in office with the worst approval ratings of his term.
Obama’s presidency in 2013 saw a government shutdown, the failed rollout of the healthcare website and upsetting disclosure about mass surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA).
