WASHINGTON — In defending his administration’s handling of the economy, President Obama took a swipe at the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States yesterday by alleging it was confused by rightwing media pundits and outlets.
During a speech in Elkhart, Ind., the president said “I'm concerned when I watch the direction of our politics. I mean, we have been hearing this story for decades — tales about welfare queens, talking about takers, talking about the 47 percent. It's the story that's broadcast every day on some cable news stations, on rightwing radio. It's pumped into cars and bars and VFW halls all across America, and right here in Elkhart. And if you're hearing that story all the time, you start believing it. It's no wonder people think big government is the problem. No wonder public support for unions is so low. No wonder that people think the deficit has gone up under my presidency when it's actually gone down.”
“I don’t know how many VFW Posts the president has ever visited,” said VFW National Commander John A. Biedrzycki Jr., “but our near 1.7 million members are a direct reflection of America, which means we represent every generation, race, religion, gender, and political and ideological viewpoint. We don’t have confused politics, we don’t need left or rightwing media filters telling us how to think or vote, and we don’t need any President of the United States lecturing us about how we are individually affected by the economy.
“Our nation was created and continues to exist solely because of the men and women who wear the uniform,” he said. “Let’s not denigrate their service, their sacrifice or their intelligence."