Obama: ‘Tea party’ features ‘core group’ against him

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Obama said Tuesday he believes the “tea party” is built around a “core group” of people who question whether he is a U.S. citizen and believe he is a socialist.

But beyond that, Mr. Obama told NBC, he recognizes the movement involves “folks who have legitimate concerns” about the national debt and the government taking on too many difficult issues simultaneously.

In an interview broadcast Tuesday on NBC’s “Today” show, Mr. Obama said he feels “there’s still going to be a group at their core that question my legitimacy.” But he said he didn’t want to paint “tea party” activists “in broad brushes” and he hopes to win over members who have “mainstream, legitimate concerns.”