Obama: He'll be judged on performance not passion

[June 14, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says the notion that he's too calm or unemotional about people's economic hardship is "nonsense."

Obama says he'll ultimately be judged on his performance, including whether he's helped small business get access to capital or helped community colleges provide the right job training.

Obama says he gets letters every day from people who need help finding a job or saving their homes, and hears from others at events around the country.

In response to a question by NBC's Ann Curry as to why he didn't get "angrier" about what was happening to people as a result of the economy, Obama said: "The notion, somehow, that I'm calm about that is nonsense." He said most Americans understand that he spends "all my time thinking about this stuff because I'm talking to these folks every single day."

[Associated Press]

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