October 15, 2009 6:27 PM

Fourth Grader Asks Obama: "Why Do People Hate You?"

By
Mark Knoller
Topics
White House
While much of America had its eyes skyward, tracking what was thought to be a boy in a run-away balloon, President Obama was dealing with another boy very much on the ground.

"Why do people hate you?" asked 4th-grader Terence Scott, posing the final question at the president's Town Hall Meeting this afternoon at the University of New Orleans.

The youngster seemed earnest and genuinely distressed about harsh words he's heard people direct at the 44th President.

"They supposed to love you," said the youngster, "and God is love."

"That's what I'm talking about," said the president, grateful for words of kindness and support. He was on a trip to explain why it took him nine months to make his first visit as president to a city still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Mr. Obama tried to reassure the kid that it's not as bad as he thinks.

"First of all, I did get elected president, so not everybody hates me now," he told the 4th grader. But he conceded that "if you're watching TV lately, it seems like everybody's just getting mad all the time."

"You've got to take it with a grain of salt," the president explained. "Some of it is just what's called politics."

(CBS)
How do you explain hardball politics to a 4th grader?

"Once one party wins," said the president, struggling to find the right words, "then the other party kind of gets – feels like it needs to poke you a little bit to keep you on your toes."

Poke you a little bit? Is that what his political critics and opponents are doing?

"You shouldn't take it too seriously," was Mr. Obama's bottom line advice to the youngster.

He said a lot of people are losing their jobs or health care or homes to foreclosure. "They're feeling frustrated," he said, sounding as though he could forgive them for their bitter words and criticism.

And as president, he conceded he gets some credit when things go well and some of the blame when they don't. "That part of the job," he explained.

"So you've just got to keep on going even when folks are criticizing you," he said.

And after all, said the president, "I'm a pretty tough guy."

"Are you a tough guy?" he asked his 4th grade questioner. The kid seemed to accept the explanation as he got another hug from the president.

If nothing else, the youngster got a great story to write about in his next composition.

(CBS)
Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.

Add a Comment See all 49 Comments
by breezyvibe April 17, 2010 9:52 PM EDT
What a nice kid. I feel sad that kids are in the middle of all the new revelations we are having about the Global Elite's takeover of our country and the world. This boy knows nothing about the Federal Reserve's hold on the US and how our constitution is being eradicated by a ruthless conspiracy. The first black President is like all the other Presidents except for a few like Lincoln and Kennedy (who were murdered by the Fed Reserve and Global Elite for their non-allegiance). They are all, unfortunately, puppets of the Global Elite. And THAT is why everyone is MAD!! You can find out about what is really going on in our country by going to infowars dot com and listening to the podcast. Alex Jones is fighting the New World Order. And so should you be.
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by nakeviam October 21, 2009 2:56 PM EDT
Why can't this be a simple question from a kid who is observing things through his fourth grade eyes. If this where a white kid none of this crap about racism would be a factor. Get over yourselves and try to answer the kids question without adding your politics to it. Its not hard to see that a percentage of the right doesn't hate Democrats, they hate President Obama.
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by Walleyeangler October 19, 2009 2:10 PM EDT
And furthermore, how about the black folks who voted against &/or disliked GW Bush, McCain, Regan, GH Bush, etc., etc. Is that racism too? You all seriously need to crawl back in the holes you came from. Keep your blinders on & just vote anyone w/a "D" behind their names......
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by Walleyeangler October 19, 2009 1:58 PM EDT
Wow. Racists? Because one dislikes this president & his administration? How about the same folks disliking Al Gore & John Kerry?? Was it "racism" then? None of you claiming racism has put up anything credible on this blog. And MrsOfficer, those students wanted "change" for the sake of change. Do they & you hold on to that same hope now that he's tripled the deficit? Signed the most pork laden budget after campaigning "no more pork"? Troops still dying on foreign soil. And "end of the recession"? Hope you "pundits" are right. Tell that to the millions unemployed & us small business owners who are wondering where the next paycheck is gonna come from. Tell that to the homeowners out there who are behind on the mortgage & waiting for the county sheriff to show up w/a court order to get out. The dems have had control of the house since 06 elections & have a filibuster proof senate majority. I believe we will see "change" for the better in 2010, hopefully it won't be too late.... Now back to accusing all who would be against the policies of the current administration to be racists.
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by liselle3 October 18, 2009 6:09 PM EDT
People hate President Obama because he is a Democrat, he is bi-racial, and he espouses change and equality for all... That really pisses of people who like to keep this status quo, and all about people like them only. President Obama should stay the course, and continue what he is doing, the only people who don't like him are the far-right and the Taliban... I could live with that :)
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by BeckieBest October 18, 2009 5:56 PM EDT
Because all right wing nuts have to offer is fear and hate.
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by credibility2 October 18, 2009 5:05 PM EDT
"They supposed to love you"? Where is this kid learning how to properly use the English language? No doubt his parent and community equates challenging, questioning, debating, disagreement, etc. with "hate". I'm sure this kid was told repeatedly by his parent or guardian that people "hate" Obama because of his skin color, since we're all supposed to "love" him. What a bunch of rubbish! This kid is being fed a bunch of rubbish, poorly raised and is also not learning the proper use of the English language. Perhaps his parent or guardian don't know how to use the English language correctly, but his school teachers should know better, unless of course, they're not speaking or using the language properly either.
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by erasmus111 October 18, 2009 6:29 PM EDT
We already know that you are a racist.

And who the hell cares how the kid speaks. This story isn't about that.

I would consider the fact that you are a racist more disgusting than this child not using the right words.
by erasmus111 October 18, 2009 2:37 PM EDT
"Why do people hate you?" asked 4th-grader Terence Scott

"Once one party wins," said the president, struggling to find the right words, "then the other party kind of gets ? feels like it needs to poke you a little bit to keep you on your toes."

"Poke you a little bit? Is that what his political critics and opponents are doing?"



Yeah, that's what I say, "Poke you a LITTLE bit?"

What Mr. President couldn't say was, "It's because we live in a country where many are extremely RACIST".


"'You shouldn't take it too seriously,' was Mr. Obama's bottom line advice to the youngster."


He should take it very seriously. EVERYONE should be taking it seriously! How sad for this little boy to see this happening in the year 2009!


Now all the racists are going to say the same old thing,"you're playing the race card". Blah, blah, blah.

America is full of racists and that is a FACT. You can try and hide it, but it's there for the world to see.
Reply to this comment
by Anna7321 October 18, 2009 2:30 PM EDT
as if *anybody* can get near the president and ask any question that is not thoroughly screened. The country is filled with gullible dopes (like the reverse-racists, liberals, etc) who are easily manipulated - because they want to be.
Reply to this comment
by Samwise24601 October 18, 2009 2:28 PM EDT
"They supposed to love you, god is love."
Am I the only person who reads this as this kid thinks obama is god? That would seem to be what the boy is saying.
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