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Obama commends Apple, Intel for U.S. manufacturing jobs

In his State of the Union address, the president gives a shout-out to the two tech companies for creating jobs in the U.S.

Headshot of Dara Kerr
Headshot of Dara Kerr
Dara Kerr Former senior reporter
Dara Kerr was a senior reporter for CNET covering the on-demand economy and tech culture. She grew up in Colorado, went to school in New York City and can never remember how to pronounce gif.
Dara Kerr
2 min read
President Obama commends Apple and Intel for creating U.S. manufacturing jobs during his State of the Union address. CBS News

One of President Obama's policy points in his State of the Union speech tonight was that U.S. companies need to create jobs here. Not only did he stress this need, he also praised those companies already in the process of doing this, including Intel and Apple.

"Our first priority is making America a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing. After shedding jobs for more than 10 years, our manufacturers have added about 500,000 jobs over the past three," Obama said in his speech. "Caterpillar is bringing jobs back from Japan. Ford is bringing jobs back from Mexico. After locating plants in other countries like China, Intel is opening its most advanced plant right here at home. And this year, Apple will start making Macs in America again."

Sitting there in the audience, in the box of First Lady Michelle Obama, was Apple CEO Tim Cook. Cook announced in December Apple's plans to move some Mac production to the U.S. The company is investing $100 million on this venture, Cook said.

Apple CEO Tim Cook at 2013 State of the Union
Apple CEO Tim Cook at the 2013 State of the Union address. PBS video/Screenshot by CNET
Intel has also ramped up U.S. production over the past year by building a manufacturing plant in Arizona. The plant is expected to produce Intel's next generation of processors built on its 14-nanometer technology. The company said it was investing more than $5 billion in the facility. Giving a nod to Intel's advances with U.S. manufacturing, Obama visited the plant last January.

"It's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth," Obama said in his State of the Union speech tonight.