In an interview with NBC's Brian Williams, the president carefully clarified his stance on the Cordoba Center, reacted to the "network of misinformation" that has fueled false rumors that he is a Muslim, commented on the lingering effects of Katrina and even managed to get in a couple lines about Glenn Beck.

When pressed on what he thinks about the 18 percent of Americans who incorrectly believe he is a Muslim (around 10:35), Obama quipped, "I can't spend all my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead, the facts are the facts." On Beck (around 13:00), the president casually responded that he hadn't watched the rally, before stating that the attendees were "exercising their rights...exactly as they should." He articulated similar sentiments on the proposed "Ground Zero" mosque (around 8:25), explaining that "we can't treat people of the Islamic faith differently" and denying that he had backed away from his initial remarks on the issue.

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Erik Hayden