Chuck Todd's point was a comparison to the previous administration's failure to ask Americans to make changes in their behavior in order to bring about positive change. Dont get too hung up on the word "sacrifice", because it is not about that exactly. The argument goes that the President should, as a function of his leadership, ask the public to make certain changes which contribute to whatever needs to happen. I think it is a valid point. Your post indicates that it is an almost forgotten concept. Leaving people to aimlessly wander philosophically makes them easy marks for nutjobs to soak them up for their selfish purposes. Rush Limbaugh is a perfect example. Limbaugh makes big money by making his followers collect around certain positions. His motivations are not necessarily patriotic. They are personal profit motive. The president needs to get Americans on America's team. That is what was meant by the "sacrifice" comment.

Michael, I completely agree with you about Chuck Todd's question. As you reminded us, or those who watch MSNBC -- all day they were asking us to email Todd questions -- to which Todd said about 4 o'clock he had received of 40,000. And that is the question he used!

It was lame and at first President Obama had to ask Todd to repeat, because of the 'war' reference about the economy. With all due respect to Bill's comment - Todd asking that Americans should sacrifice was more - His question implied that they need to possibly be taxed more or work harder for less pay. Todd like most media pundits don't take the time to get to know what is happening outside their own media worlds. Especially those in the Presidential Bubble.

I felt that Chuck Todd was the wrong person for the NBC Chief White House Correspondent job - it should have gone to NBC Lee Cowan, who was with the Obama Campaign from the start. Todd is a poll analyst, not a journalist. He got the job because they did not put him at Meet The Press (thank God).

Todd also is combative - watching him at the daily press conference - he picks fights and does not ask question of substance - just the current media gotcha questions.

President Obama did answer Todd's question with thoughtful and through substance; and told Todd that the American people & our serviceman are sacrificing and suffering enough. It is time business & the top 1% make a sacrifice.

Rated

Oh, I also wanted to say that the question calling the economy crisis a "war" was lame because it is not a "war". It is a crisis where people of different opinions are DEBATING the way the crisis should be fixed.

war
–noun
1. a conflict carried on by force of arms, as between nations or between parties within a nation; warfare, as by land, sea, or air.
2. a state or period of armed hostility or active military operations: The two nations were at war with each other.

debate
–noun
1. a discussion, as of a public question in an assembly, involving opposing viewpoints: a debate in the Senate on farm price supports.
2. a formal contest in which the affirmative and negative sides of a proposition are advocated by opposing speakers.
3. deliberation; consideration.

Chuck Todd needs to know the difference!

It was almost like Chuck Todd was trying to get the answer from our current President that noone could get from our prior President. What will you ask the American people to sacrifice? The answer is in the numbers that have become all too familiar over the past several months. Mr. Todd needs to leave the beltway occasionally. Really lame question.

I agree w ith Bill Beck. In the midst of this economic crisis, many people are still trying to maintain a lifestyle that is no longer sustainable. Why else would thousands line up at a store to buy Jordans? I still see folks who are barely employed walking around with expensive phones, designer bags, and the mocha lattes. The only ones who've really made any real sacrifices are the ones you mention, those who've lost jobs, homes, and 401.k's in the financial meltdowns. While you see news stories on television about folks not going to the movies, cutting back on eating out, foregoing their Starbucks coffee, etc., I'm still seeing folks in my inner city neighborhood spending hundreds of dollars on top breed dogs, making regular trips to casinos across the stateline in Michicgan, and sporting their Baby Phat clothing and jewelry. I was reared by my grandmother who reared my grandmother and her three siblings during the depression with my grandfather. They taught school in a two-room school and got paid one dollar for each of the fifty students each taught. They lived in a rural area a grew their own food and raised their own meat and in the summers they taught adults how to can vegetables or make mattresses. My mother said they never went without, but they didn't live extravagantly either. Sacrificing doesn't necessarily mean going without the basics; it just means getting down to the basics - something many Americans, especially the poor, don't seem to be willing to do. So when someone who makes less than ten dollars an hour loses a job, he or she has no savings to fall back on and has no clue how to make it.

Maybe the question was off-putting as the timing for asking something of this ilke is sometime down the line, not just now. To my ear there was an inflammatory and mildly petulant tone to the question -- as if he was baiting Pres. Obama in hopes of a "gotcha" moment. No doubt that was the point, otherwise why ask "that" question?

From the inside living it, and from the outside looking in to people that have it worse than me, there is plenty of suffering going around just now. Not completely on a third world order, but getting close for many now jobless and homeless at the same time. @ frogtowndiva , just because we have remnants of a more prosperous past still in our possession, does not mean we get to keep them in the long haul (think pawning), or that when they break or wear out that they will be replaced with something as similar and bling-blingish...

Americans ARE sacrificing in a myriad of ways that must not be apparent to Chuck Todd for whatever reason -- I cannot imagine that the network did not weigh in on his question. Personally, I felt slapped in the face by it...just like the rest of the media, Todd needs to take a look at just the housing sector if he wants to see the trickle down effect of the meltdown and accompanying misery in just one hard hit sector.

Now, as long as I am venting, I will say that I am hugely disappointed in Anderson Cooper's (CNN) first comments stating that Pres. Obama looked "tired". Almost boastful that Ed Henry took the wind out of his sails. Shame on you, CNN and Anderson Cooper.

If Pres. Obama looked tired after the first four questions, he was not alone. I would have like to slap all of them for their sophomoric questioning and looking to "catch" the President. Hasn't he done enough in 60 days to warrant SOME modicum of respect? In such, I would hope that the White House will note that in the future the Press need ask their questions respectfully or don't be expected to be asked back.

Times are tough for some of us, you Big Guys of the Press. Your paycheck continues through thick and thin as long as people are watching or reading you. The rest of us don't have that luxury to keep us afloat. We do have to "suffer" your insolence, however, and on some days that is plenty enough sacrifice for me...

To all who have been kind enough to comment:

Thank you! My post, which was clearly written in a moment of anger, aroused a wide range of responses. Although I have my strong opinion, I am grateful for you taking the time to share yours as well.

We all see these issues through our personal lenses. All I can say is that, having grown up in Elkhart, Indiana (unemployment: 15.3%) and currently being on disability, I wear my own set of lenses.

It is this perspective that set me off when Chuck Todd asked his question. When the rich and/or famous see the world narrowly and in a judgmental fashion, it therefore gets under my skin and I feel a need to reply.

Nonetheless, thank you for your direct, detailed and honest replies.

I am grateful.

Mike

Chuck Todd is just one more overpaid talking head who doesn't have a clue what average Americans are facing. He spends most of his day with his head up his ass looking for more questions. In answer to Bill Beck, do you ever listen to any of what the President has been saying over the past two years? Are you on his mailing list? Or does he need to personally hold your hand while he talks to you? What was meant by the sacrifice comment was an ignorant "gotcha" question. And it was answered quite well.