Barack Obama, speaking to the Associated Press’ Annual Meeting:

Good afternoon. I know I kept a lot of you guys busy this weekend with the comments I made lastweek. Some of you might even be a little bitter about that. As I said yesterday, I regret some of the words I chose, partly because the way that these remarks have been interpreted have offended some people and partly because they have served as one more distraction from the critical debate that we must have in this election season.

“The way those remarks have been interpreted have offended some people.” Not, “I offended some people.” It’s your fault, or somebody else’s fault for once again “misinterpreting” those remarks.

Then, once again, this is a “distraction” from what Obama wants to talk about. Whenever an issue comes along that reflects badly on him, it’s a distraction from the “real issues.” But what if Americans want to talk about this? What if they really think that an aspiring president looks down on them, and doesn’t understand life in small town America? What if that’s a critical debate and real issue to them?