Obama Calls Out GOP on Benghazi Smears, Pushes House on Middle-Class Tax Break

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Asked by Fox News’ Ed Henry how he envisioned the mandate he won by virtue of his re-election, Obama said, “With respect to the issue of mandate, I’ve got one mandate. I’ve got a mandate to help middle-class families and families that are working hard to try to get into the middle class. That’s my mandate. That’s what the American people said. They said, work really hard to help us.

He spoke of the people he met on the campaign trail, including small business-owners who stayed open during the recession by not taking a salary, and young activists in “disadvantaged communities” working to improve their lot.

“When you talk to these folks,” Obama said, “you say to yourself, man, they deserve a better government than they’ve been getting.”