During last week’s primetime press conference, President Obama made it abundantly clear how we should judge whether the economic stimulus plan is successful:

…that is why the single most important part of this Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is the fact that it will save or create up to 4 million jobs….

…it’s important for us to have a bill of sufficient size and scope that we can save or create 4 million jobs….

My bottom line is to make sure that we are saving or creating 4 million jobs….

So my bottom line when it comes to the recovery package is send me a bill that creates or saves 4 million jobs….

But my bottom line is, are we creating 4 million jobs, and are we laying the foundation for long- term economic growth?…

I think my initial measure of success is creating or saving 4 million jobs.

But, the day after signing the bill into law, he seems to have already scaled back expectations. Speaking in Arizona earlier today to announce his housing plan, Obama said:

Yesterday, in Denver, I signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which will create or save three and a half million jobs over the next two years – including 70,000 in Arizona – doing the work America needs done.

What happened to the other 500,000?