Acknowledging 'honest mistakes,' Obama tolerates critic
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ELKHART, Ind. - President Obama wanted to talk yesterday about his economic stimulus plan, but one woman in the audience instead wanted to talk about the tax troubles that have snagged some of Obama's Cabinet picks.
"You've come to our county and asked us to trust you, but those that you have appointed to your Cabinet are not trustworthy and can't handle their own budget and taxes," the woman said to boos before Obama cut off the rowdy crowd of 1,700 in a high school gym.
He told the crowd he wanted to hear the question.
"I'm one of those that thinks you need to have a beer with Sean Hannity," said the woman, referring to the conservative Fox News Channel personality.
Obama acknowledged what he called "honest mistakes."
"Now, with respect to Sean Hannity, I didn't know that he had invited me for a beer," Obama said. "You know, but - I will take that under advisement. Generally, his opinion of me does not seem to be very high, but I'm always good for a beer."
During his marathon campaign, Obama conducted scores of such town hall-style meetings. He returned to the format yesterday, his first public trip from the White House to stump for his legislation.
"Here's the deal on questions: First of all, we didn't screen anybody, so there's some people who like me in the audience, some people that don't, some people agree with me, some people who don't. It doesn't matter. We want to take questions from everybody," Obama said.
After his first stay at the presidential hideaway in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, he called it "beautiful" as he talked yesterday about his weekend visit with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Sasha and Malia. Obama said he hit a few golf balls and played a little basketball while there.
"The girls just had a great time," Obama said.
But on the way out of Washington yesterday, the 6-foot-1-inch Obama bumped his head when boarding Marine One on the White House's south lawn.
It was Obama's fifth flight aboard the craft, which ferried him to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. He then flew on Air Force One to Indiana to promote an economic stimulus package.
A department worker and member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe, Nedra Darling, presented Obama with a handmade shawl that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said honored a woman of high achievement. The Black Bear Singers, a drum group, performed a traditional song in her honor.
Obama was on a listening tour through the federal bureaucracy to thank employees for their work.
She told those working at the department's Bureau of Indian Affairs that President Obama will appoint a senior policy adviser in the White House to work with them on issues like healthcare.
