Obama Faces Tough Questions from Texas Reporter

On Monday President Obama gave four interviews at the White House, one of which was with Brad Watson of WFAA-TV in Dallas.At one point towards the end of the interview Obama says with frustration, “Let me finish my answers the next time we do an interview, all right?”Hostility from Watson was noticeable as he asked the president, “Why do you think you’re so unpopular in Texas?”Obama did not automatically agree that he is “so unpopular in Texas” and began to argue about the size of his loss in Texas in 2008. Perhaps he did not remember that he lost by 11.8% and not the “few percentage points” he insisted that he lost by. In the end Obama conceded with the statement: “If what you’re telling me is that Texas is a conservative state, you’re absolutely right.”The president also responded strongly to criticism from the Texas governor Rick Perry:”Gov. Perry helped balance his budget with about $6 billion worth of federal help — which he happily took — and then started blaming the members of Congress who had offered that help,” Obama said.Obama also denied that the White House had anything to do with the denial of giving Houston funding for space shuttle orbiters in favor of supporting projects in other states which can help his re-election.”That’s wrong,” the president stated. “That had nothing to do with it; the White House had nothing to do with it.”In response to Watson’s persistence with this subject the Obama reiterated his position with vehemence.”I just said that was wrong,” and, later, “I just said that wasn’t true.”Another issue high on the Texas priority list is reforming immigration legislation, which Obama addressed:”The question is going to be, are we going to be able to find some Republicans who can partner with me and others to get this done once and for all instead of using it as a political football?,” Obama said.President Obama also emphasized that he has definitely not given up on winning Texas when he runs for his re-election as president in 2012:”I never write off any states,” Obama said. “I love Texas.”