KIDS ASK OBAMA WHY PEOPLE HATE HIM!

WASHINGTON - All the hatred aimed at President Obama these days didn't make much sense to a fourth-grader in New Orleans Thursday, but it does to Obama.
Taking a question from a crowd-pleasing grade-schooler named Terrence Scott, Obama told him it just comes with the job of being President.

"I have to say, why people hate you and, and why, they supposed to love you and - God is love," the boy said to some laughter from the crowd.

"Well, now, first of all, I did get elected President, so not everybody hates me," Obama said, getting his own laughs. But Obama took him seriously.

"If you were watching TV lately, it seems like everybody's just getting mad all the time," he said. "I think that you've got to take it with a grain of salt."

The commander-in-chief explained that some of it was just sore-loser political sniping, and some of it comes from people worried about losing jobs, health care or homes, and getting frustrated.

But really, it's in the job description.

"When you're President of the United States … you've got to deal with all of that," said Obama. "That's exactly right. And, you know, you get some of the credit when things go good, and when things are going tough then, you know, you're going to get some of the blame. And that's part of the job."

Earlier, Obama had fended off complaints that he wasn't moving fast enough to rebuild New Orleans, and on other problems after nine months in office.

"Just in case any of you were wondering, I never thought any of this was going to be easy," he said.

"You know, I listen to, sometimes, these reporters on the news: Well, why haven't you solved world hunger yet?" he joked.

"What did I say during the campaign? I said, change is hard. And big change is harder. And after the last nine months, you know, I wasn't kidding," he said, vowing that he'll keep pressing.

"I don't quit," he said. "We get this stuff done. We keep on going until we get it done … I don't quit. I'm not tired. I'm just getting started."