"The idea is that the same thing is true for colors, that there are certain kinds of colors that are characteristic of stuff that's good for us as a species -- clear sky, clear water -- and stuff that's bad for us, like rotting foods, biological waste products, " he said.

CNN: Is 'red' the same to all creatures?

"Although we've approached this from completely opposite views - they wanted to clear stuff away and we wanted to keep it - we've actually managed to work out a good compromise, " he said.

BBC: Philip De Jersey

And it may be that just the bill was too big the first time -- there was just too much stuff, and they weren't clear about what the jobs act would do.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama on the American Jobs Act in Jamestown, North Carolina | The White House

But the -- no, I think this is important for me to be able to clear up some stuff.

WHITEHOUSE: Discussing the Economy in Des Moines