For Obama, jobs are first priority

With the crush of media coverage surrounding the AIG (AIG) bonus issue, some may argue that the Obama administration's ability to successfully navigate its resolution, along with financial system stabilization, will say much regarding how the public judges the new administration's performance.

More accurately, however, AIG's performance and its impact on the financial system's health, will play a large role in public attitudes toward the administration -- as a functioning banking system is intrinsic for successful commercial operations -- but it certainly won't be the only performance metric. The other metric concerns the driver of corporate revenue and earnings growth: job growth.