Obama said in a pre-Super Bowl interview on NBC that his administration is creating more than 250,000 jobs a month, the most since 2005, and a reversal from the 750,000 jobs the economy was losing three years ago.

The president said American manufacturing still needs a boost and “We have got to make sure we are pushing American energy, not just oil and gas, but clean energy.”

Obama also said the country needed to return to “old-fashioned American values,” so “everyone gets a fair shake.”

Three years ago, Obama said if the economy hadn’t turned around by this time, his presidency would be “a one-term proposition.”

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The Grio’s Political Analyst, Perry Bacon, Jr., examines the unemployment numbers and what it could mean in a potential Romney/Obama match-up in November:

The job news puts Romney in a complicated situation, as he must in some ways root for the jobless rate to go back up or not dip too low, as that would further threaten his route to the presidency. At the same time, he must of course avoid rhetoric that sounds like he is not enthusiastic about economic growth.

The alternative for Romney is to acknowledge the positive news, but say the economy would have rebounded even faster if he were president, a kind of counter-factual that is hard to convince voters of. [President Barack] Obama has struggled with this problem for three years, as voters have largely not supported his argument the recession would have been even worse without the 2009 stimulus.

The GOP candidate took this approach on Friday, after the jobs’ numbers were released.

“We welcome the fact that jobs were created and unemployment declined,” Romney said in a statement. “Unfortunately, these numbers cannot hide the fact that President Obama’s policies have prevented a true economic recovery. We can do better. He added, “long-term unemployment remains at record levels.”

With Romney still rebounding from his “I’m not concerned with the very poor” gaffe, this evidence that Obama may just be on to something does not bode well for the Massachusetts millionaire. Conversely, the fact that unemployed people who have stopped seeking jobs were not included in the latest statistics — leaving open the possibility that when they hit the market again the numbers will rise — means that Obama shouldn’t rest easy just yet.

Read more on what the unemployment numbers means for election 2012 at TheGrio.com

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“I don’t think there’s a better time than African-American History month to consider the tremendous progress we’ve made through the sacrifices of so many, or a better time to recommit to the challenges we face right now,” said Obama in a video to his supporters.

It is expected that the Democrats would work to shore up their Black base right before the president’s bid for re-election. The dampened enthusiasm among Black voters who are facing 15.8 percent unemployment and rapidly declining wealth levels is also expected. The Black unemployment number is more than double that of white Americans, which stands at 7.5 percent. Throughout the Obama presidency, White unemployment has improved, while Black unemployment has gotten markedly worse.

Ironically, the “African Americans for Obama” website says that the president has been fighting “to restore economic security that has been eroding for American families for a decade.”

President Obama won 96 percent of the Black vote in 2008. His approval rating today stands at 91 percent. The black community continues to be the strongest and most loyal base of the Obama Administration.

Political commentator, Yvette Carnell, has something to say about the issue:

“I have no problem with Obama targeting African-American voters. None. He needs us and he knows it,” said Carnell. “What I do have a problem with, however, is how most of the targeting begins during campaign season and ends on election day. We’re more than just a voting bloc. We’re real citizens with real needs, needs which I hope the President begins to acknowledge and address.”

Columbia University Professor Christopher Emdin doesn’t agree with Carnell’s assessment.

“I do not believe the ‘frustration and dampened enthusiasm’ cited within Af-American communities is as pervasive as we are led to believe. With that being said, these facts do not negate the fact that these communities are dealing with serious issues related to education and poverty,” said Dr. Emdin. “I do not believe that Obama’s campaigning in Af-American communities is reflective of some ulterior agenda to “use them when he needs them.  It very well may be an effort to make a shift to explicitly focus on the needs of this community.”

The pending re-election of Barack Obama has put Black voters in a quandary. While many would agree that conditions have worsened for the Black community under Obama, the Republican Party provides no reasonable alternatives. In many cases, Black people have become the political orphans of America:

You can either live with the parents who abuse you or live with the child molester down the street. While one fate is clearly worse than the other, there is no end to the pain in sight.

It is actually logical for the Obama Administration to keep Black voters on the back-burner. When a group gives you 91 percent approval and asks for nothing in return, there is almost no political incentive to do anything for them. This calculation likely played a role in the statement that the “rising tide will lift all boats” made three years ago, when the president was asked about inequality in wealth and unemployment. The “lift all boats” policy was a clear and miserable failure, for most economic experts can tell you that racial inequality is not going to fix itself without targeted economic policy.

Right now, in the Black community, there are at least two types of people: those who are suffering and those who are not. The suffering group consists of the poor, unemployed, and those who live under the thumb of the criminal justice system. The rest of us have jobs, food to eat and are not impacted directly by mass incarceration. If you’re in the second group, it’s difficult to find fault with the Obama Administration, for a Black president grants the symbolic comfort that comes along with the “Mama I Made It” syndrome that justifies the trade-offs many of us make for the sake of economic and social progress in a White supremacist society.  Being the first Black president is the granddaddy of all “proud mama” moments, so there are millions willing to forgive nearly any short-coming of the Obama White House to maintain access to the throne.

For those who care about the poor, there is almost no redemption when the president barely mentions poverty in his speeches.  For the unemployed, it’s hard to imagine how your life will get better by supporting an administration that helped white folks find jobs while letting the Black numbers reach levels approaching those of the Great Depression. For those suffering with the effects of mass incarceration, it’s hard to get excited about a president who has not directly confronted the debilitating effects of the drug war, which has destroyed millions of families and an entire generation of children.  All of these issues indicate a state of emergency in the Black community; but thus far, we’ve only given White Americans the right to express dissatisfaction with their condition.

The implicit African American slogan for the Democratic Party is “You should just stop complaining, because the Republicans are even worse than we are.” The threat of political punishment is clearly enough to secure the Black vote without doing a thing. But at the same time, the Black political orphans of America do have a choice. WEB Dubois, when faced with few quality political options 50 years ago, simply said that he refused to vote at all.  Rather than behaving like a teenage girl who shares her body with the first man who buys her a cheeseburger, Dubois advocated for the idea that we save our votes for politicians who have truly worked to earn them.

After a mass holdout from conscientious Black voters, perhaps the Democrats will then strive to honestly earn the Black vote instead of simply telling us that they are not as horrible as the Republicans.  It should not be taboo to request that Black voters have enough self-respect to demand that all politicians give priority to the issues that lead to our suffering. There are no victims, just volunteers, and we don’t have to be political orphans forever.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here,

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In the video, he shares his understanding of the plight of everyday Americans and juxtaposes it with emotional — or so he hopes — references to the Civil Rights Movement and slavery and urges Black voters to “keep making history”:

This month we are announcing the 2012 launch of African Americans for Obama. I don’t think there’s a better time than African-American history month to consider the tremendous progress that we’ve made through the sacrifices of so many, or a better time to commit to meeting the very real challenges we face right now.

Every day I think of the generations of African-American men and women who overcame slavery and oppression, risked their own safety to cast a ballot, even gave up their lives to help build a country that lived up to its founding principles. Their extraordinary hope, their unwavering determination changed this country. Their efforts made it possible for somebody like me to be here today.”

Beginning in November, when Obama surprised attendees of the first African-American Policy In Action Leadership Conference, and gaining momentum with the White House release of “The President’s Agenda and the African-American Community,” the president has quietly tried to staunch the flow of resentment that many in the Black community feel for his seemingly blatant lack of disregard for the nearly 16 percent unemployment rate – nearly double the national average — and his continued focus on the middle-class while an estimate 27.4 percent of African-Americans are living below the poverty line.

Still, according to a statement on BarackObama.com, that shouldn’t stop African-Americans from coming out in droves in November in support of the president:

In some ways this election is more important than the last for our community. If we fail to re-elect President Obama, some people will say everything we’ve accomplished since 2008 was a fluke. That’s why we’ve got to speak loudly about his accomplishments and make sure that, throughout the campaign, we’ve got President Obama’s back.”

For many in the African-American community, that decision hinges upon clear evidence that Obama has ours.

To learn more about the campaign, click here.

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President Barack Obama showed the world that he is musically inclined, when he coyly sang a few lines from Al Green’s romantic ballad “Let’s Stay Together” at a campaign event in January.  “That was completely spontaneous,” Mrs. Obama told Jay Leno during the interview.   “I didn’t even hear about it until it got on YouTube, but he does have a beautiful voice, and he sings to me all the time.”

The First Lady, who admits she can’t sing, was caught on video last May busting a few moves at a middle school dance party.  She demonstrated without a bit of shyness that she can do the Dougie, Running Man and Cha-Cha with the best of them.

“Let’s Stay Together” is apparently one of Obama’s favorite songs according to the First Lady.  She also admitted that the president seems to prefer the classic slow jams. “I knew when people said he sang, I thought I’ll bet he sang Al Green,” Mrs. Obama said. “He sings a lot of Al Green, Marvin Gay, a little Stevie. He likes the classics.”

On the flip side, while Mrs. Obama doesn’t mind having her husband serenade her, the children feel differently.  Malia and Sasha aren’t big fans of their dad’s crooning and are big believers in the adage “silence is golden.”  “Anything we do is highly embarrassing. They just want us to be very quiet, very quiet,” Mrs. Obama said.

As for the Mitt Romney‘s rendition of “America the Beautiful,”  the First Lady tactfully said, “It’s beautiful! It is America’s song, and it’s a song that’s meant to be sung by every American.”

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The picture also appeared on the page of a high school student and is being investigated by the secret service.

MSNBC reports:

Shearer, who said he would sacrifice his life for President Barack Obama, told ABC15 that he didn’t “think that them shooting up the T-shirt was a big deal.”

“I think it was more of a political statement obviously,” he added. “It’s not like they were going to go out and shoot the president.”

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You’ve heard it from the pundits:  ’Obama is cloistered in the White House.’ ‘He’s aloof.’ ‘He’s in the bubble.’ He’s not connecting,’ joked Obama. “And that’s why one of my big goals this year was to get out and be among every day, ordinary Americans — like the men and women of the Alfalfa Club.

Obama even mentioned his surprisingly formidable singing talents at the dinner as well:

At least my harshest critics can agree, I have a promising future as an Al Green impersonator, said Obama.

The president kept the jokes flying, even poking a bit of fun toward the direction of Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner:

John, I want you to know – I am eager to work with members of Congress to be entertaining tonight. But if Congress is unwilling to cooperate, I will be funny without them.

It wasn’t all jokes at the event as Occupy DC protestors gathered outside the Capitol Hilton, glitter bombing Senators Joe Lieberman and Mark Warner, who reportedly still had glitter in the hair. Police also reported that some of the female protestors taunted guests by ripping off their shirts.

The Alfalfa Club counts former presidents as part of its selective membership. George H.W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush were guests at the dinner. Michael Bloomberg and former presidential hopeful John McCain were also in attendance.

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From Rep. Joe Wilson’s now infamous “You Lie!” outburst (watch above) to fellow Republic Congressman Doug Lamborn’s “tar baby” remarks last summer, Obama has had to deflect some of the GOP’s harshest barbs, exhibiting a grace that has caused some critics to complain that he should meet the fire head on. The latest line stepping from a GOP elected official happened this week, and the images captured froze a moment that won’t soon be forgotten.

On Wednesday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (pictured) was snapped in an Associated Press photo with her finger in the face of Obama, who had his right hand on her left elbow as she seemed to be yelling at him once he landed in the governor’s state. Although speculation surrounding the confrontation swirled about, Brewer addressed the perceived argument in a press conference (report courtesy of USA Today) last night.

I must say, I was not hostile, I was trying to be very, very gracious, said Brewer of the moment between she and Obama.

Brewer claimed that upon meeting the President on the tarmac, Obama switched the subject to her memoir, “Scorpions for Breakfast,” where she described him as “patronizing” after a 2010 White House meeting. Of the photograph, Brewer again showed slick politician savvy by answering a direct question of whether she was disrespectful to the President in that moment:

I probably have better photographs of me than that, said Brewer. But I hope will take it into context that I was talking and I talk with my hands.

Talking with one’s hands is one thing, pointing your finger in the face and yelling at the President of the United States is another matter all together.

Obama isn’t the first president to endure such a blitz from an opposing party: Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton both suffered under the hot glare of critical analysis.

The particular way President Obama has been handled, though, points to racism as the bottom line.

In an election year still shaping itself for an epic November showdown between Obama and whoever the GOP nominee shall be, Republican officials and conservative pundits are surely sharpening their pens and words in attempt to maim the President’s name and perhaps rattle his formidable shell.

Still, the likes of Brewer, Wilson, and Lamborn should be taken to task for their behavior and outright racism. Even though the President has helmed the assassination of Osama bin Laden, forced insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, coordinated the rescue of two Navy Seal hostages, reformed student loans, and rehabilitated the American auto industry, I would argue that President Obama is indeed one of the most disrespected — if not the most disrespected– president of this country.

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“He’s not going to ask me to stay on, I’m pretty confident,” Geithner said in a Bloomberg Television interview. “I’m also confident he’s going to have the privilege of having another Treasury secretary.”

Geithner is the only remaining top official on Obama’s original economics team. He had considered leaving in August after the congressional battle over raising the debt limit was resolved.

Obama asked him to reconsider and remain in the Cabinet, and Geithner did. But the incident heightened expectations that Geithner would serve only through the 2012 election.

Asked for reaction to Geithner’s comments Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage said, “In August, when the president asked Secretary Geithner to remain in his position, Secretary Geithner made it clear he intended to leave after the election and the president understood that decision.”

Geithner, who helped lead the administration’s response to the 2008 financial crisis, has been a frequent target of criticism in his three years at Treasury. Many accused him of siding too closely with Wall Street in the government bailout of the financial system.

As the administration’s highest-profile economic figure, Geithner been a lightning rod for criticism of its economic stewardship. Critics contend that government spending under Obama failed to keep unemployment from rising and gave the country record budget deficits.

But Geithner also received praise for his leadership in getting a sweeping financial overhaul through Congress and in the efforts he made to stabilize the financial system

Geithner’s supporters also argue that the Treasury secretary provided Obama with sound advice on how to restructure the financial system. They note, too, that he successfully managed the government’s $700 billion financial bailout to limit taxpayers’ losses.

In the interview Wednesday, Geithner offered no hints of what he might do after leaving the administration.

“I’m very fortunate,” he said. “I work with tremendously talented people, and this is one of the most important times in modern history to be in the world of economic policy and finance. And I work for a great president, who I believe in.”

It isn’t unusual for Cabinet secretaries to leave after just one term of a two-term presidency. George W. Bush and Bill Clinton both had three Treasury secretaries during their two terms in office.

The only Treasury secretary in recent history to serve more than four years was Nicholas Brady who served as Ronald Reagan’s third Treasury secretary. Brady then stayed to serve for all four years of the George H.W. Bush administration.

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His job approval ratings point to an uptick. The Navy SEAL unit that killed Osama bin Laden just pulled off a daring rescue that Obama authorized in Somalia. He’s fresh off a big speech before Congress, and the Republicans who want his job are criticizing each other probably more than they are Obama.

As he hits the road for three days of travel to important political states, Obama is on a roll.

Feeling good, he even tried his hand at a bit of public crooning a few days ago, channeling the Rev. Al Green to a fundraising crowd at the Apollo Theater in New York and securing the highest of pop culture distinction: a ring tone.

It could be a fleeting moment for Obama. While the economy is improving with indicators trending positively, unemployment remains high at 8.5 percent and international debt crises and tensions could unravel the gains.

For now, Obama is not hiding his upbeat demeanor.

Arriving in Iowa on Wednesday, he jogged, grinning, to a rope line of a couple of dozen supporters. He later expressed nostalgia for the days in 2007 when he was campaigning in Iowa and struck a defiant tone against congressional Republicans that was even sharper than the repudiation he offered Tuesday night in his State of the Union address.

“Our economy is getting stronger, and we’ve come too far to turn back now,” he told workers and guests at a conveyor manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids. Speaking of Republicans, he said, “Their philosophy is simple: We’re better off when everyone is left to fend for themselves and play by their own rules.”

“Well, I am here to say they are wrong,” he said.

The spring in his step comes as polls show slight improvement in his job approval ratings. A Washington Post/ABC poll last week had him evenly split 48-48 on that question. A Gallup tracking poll has him even in recent surveys, compared with a few months ago where more disapproved than approved

On the road through Friday, Obama will bask in the afterglow of his prime-time address and use the power of the presidency to compete for headlines with leading GOP White House hopefuls Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich as they knock heads ahead of the Jan. 31 Florida primary. He will try to promote a populist message of income equality that Obama’s team believes can resonate with voters.

If 2011 began with overtures to Republicans and big business, 2012 is about operating on his own terms. He will challenge Congress to pass his initiatives, some of which he has tried before without success. For now, Obama is liberated. The thrust and parrying of governing has not picked up in Washington yet.

The road gives him an opportunity to goad congressional Republicans, believing he has been able to sway public opinion with his presidential megaphone before. He cites Washington’s decision to extend, for two months, a payroll tax cut for workers. He’s now seeking to extend it for the full year, and while there’s little doubt that Congress eventually will agree, Obama prodded anyway.

“Your voices convinced Congress to extend this middle-class tax cut before,” he said. “You remember there was little resistance there last year. I need your help to get them to do it again. Tell Congress to pass this tax cut without drama, without delay. No soap operas. Just get it done.”

Political events are going his way as well.

Just as he stepped up his call for a minimum 30 percent tax rate for millionaires, Romney released his tax returns under pressure, revealing that he paid an effective tax rate of 14 percent. That not only underscored Romney’s wealth, it also provided an argument for altering the nation’s tax laws, a central element of Obama’s re-election campaign.

Gingrich on Wednesday helped keep the focus on Romney’s wealth, saying that the wealthy businessman lived in “a world of Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island accounts and automatically $20 million income for no work.”

Romney and Gingrich have been forced to target each other in the GOP presidential contest, freeing Obama from the fray. For instance, Romney has ads in Florida and Nevada blaming the housing crisis on Gingrich and concludes that nothing would make Obama happier than Gingrich winning the nomination.

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