Earlier today President Barack Obama told reporters, “The private sector is doing fine.”

The unemployment rate is above 8% for 40 straight months, the deficit is at a record $1.2 trillion and the economy was downgraded for the first time in a century during his first term.

Mitt Romney and Speaker John Boehner immediately pounced on the president’s outrageous statement.

Now Barack Obama is accusing Republicans of playing politics for using his own words against him.

Huh?

The Ticket reported:

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On defense over the defining issue of his reelection fight, President Barack Obama clarified Friday that “the economy is not doing fine” and accused Republicans of playing “political games” by turning his own earlier words against him. Obama had triggered the onslaught a few hours beforehand by telling reporters that “the private sector is doing fine” and that “where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy” is in cash-strapped states and cities that are cutting jobs for teachers, firefighters, police and other workers. Republicans, including Mitt Romney, pounced on the remark, saying it showed the president was out of touch. So, in a brief photo opportunity, Obama revisited the issue. “It is absolutely clear that the economy is not doing fine. That’s the reason I had the press conference,” said the president, who had called reporters together to press Congress to pass his stalled jobs program.

So now the economy is not doing fine. So which is it, Barack?