Really? This is what people were getting all nutty about? What the hell is wrong with people? I just ready his speech to kids, and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out why anyone would give two shits about having their kid "exposed" to it. It seems to me that any president speaking to kids is a learning opportunity. Heck, I'd be 100% OK with Dubya speaking to my kids (provided he didn't mispronounce "nuclear"). There isn't any president in my lifetime that I would skip on the chance to meet, or have my kids meet.
I wonder what the motivation is for people who so strongly dislike this guy that they make this kind of ridiculous noise. Is it a race issue still? Continued disdain that McCain lost? Even if you disagree with his policy, which is fine, why do people make it more personal? Does anyone really think that his agenda in speaking to kids is anything not pure?
It's disappointing that the nation seems more partisan than less, and I don't think that's any fault of the president. I also wonder if he has any real shot at being the transformational, unifying leader he said he wants to be.
I think some people (like my right-winger sister) had the biggest prob with her little daughter having to write a letter about what she can do to help Obama...her take, why not a letter just to help the country as a whole? She was fine with the video.
Why so much noise from the crazies on the right? Probably payback. When GHW Bush did the same thing back in 1991, the Democrats ordered investigations and held congressional hearings. As usual, our two party-system is a comple mindf*ck. Why people keep voting Republican and Democrat, I will never understand. They bring it on themselves.
The fringe, on either side, will take any comment and intepret it to support thir POV, regardless of how insane it may be. The teacher's guides sent out to the educators could have been worded better, but the reaction to the original was simply out of line. The President is our leader and also a symbol reflecting the USA. The phrase requesting students to help was, in my mind, an opportunity offered to them to think for themselves about problems and solutions and reflect upon them in writing. Simply an exercise in the freedom we all enjoy and the ability to feel like a contributor to the country. The crazier comments by these people actually scare me and not much does that! I agree with your last paragraph and also feel sad that indeed race may still be an issue that fuels this insanity.