One of the more memorable moments from the Obama CNBC town hall came when an African-American woman — a military veteran and mother of two — told the president she was “exhausted of defending” his administration:

“I’m one of your middle-class Americans, and quite frankly I’m exhausted. I’m exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for, and deeply disappointed with where we are right now. I had been told that I voted for a man who said he was going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I’m one of those people and I’m waiting, sir. I’m waiting. I don’t feel it yet, and I thought that — while it wouldn’t be in great measure — I would feel it in some small measure.”

The woman than talks about the impact of the recession on her family, her worry about being able to pay her two daughters’ tuition, and her fear that her family may be heading back to their “hot dogs and beans days.”

“Quite frankly Mr. President, I need you to answer this honestly: is this my new reality?”


UPDATE: And here is President Obama’s response: