What exactly are they saying? Obama’s an idiot without TOTUS?

(National Journal) — President Obama just got a little carried away. At least, that’s how members of the Congressional Black Caucus are explaining Obama’s remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Dinner on Saturday night.

Obama ended his rousing speech by calling on his audience to “take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes” and press on for change and equality. “Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do, CBC,” the president exhorted.

His speech met with a standing ovation. But in television appearances Monday, Black Caucus members and African-American leaders questioned the president’s choice of words.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., called the president’s remarks “a bit curious” in a CBS appearance. She said she didn’t think the president would have made such comments to a meeting of Hispanic, Jewish, or LGBT voters.

CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., echoed Waters’ remarks in a separate MSNBC appearance, but made his support for the president clear.

“I think the president stepped away from his prepared text as many of us do who speak a lot. And in the passion of the moment, he talked about the complaining that he’s hearing around the country inside the party,” Cleaver said. “And he’s saying that that’s not helpful, join in, we need all of the members of this coalition working together so that we can successfully deal with reelection.”