In his “analysis” of the repercussion stemming from the attempted Christmas Day terror attack in Detroit

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an “analysis” that dutifully echoes GOP talking points--the AP's Ben Feller notes Obama's recent tough talk.

He writes [emphasis added]:

Tough language, but where will it lead?

Words are not enough. What people want is action.

Feller adds:

All this comes after some grumbles about a slow initial response on the part of Obama, who was in Hawaii on vacation and first spoke about the incident three days after it happened.

Here's a helpful rule of thumb when dissecting Beltway dispatches that are critical of Democrats and which make vague claims about what “people” want. The “people” in question almost always refer to Beltway journalists and Republicans, in that order. And yes, that seems to be the case in terms of Feller's “analysis, which includes no polling data to back up his claim about what the American ”people" “want.” That there's a grassroots movement afoot demanding that Obama fire top aides.

But Feller can just tell that's what people want. How? Well, it seems everyone inside the Beltway press corps agrees on the “action” talking point. Plus, Republicans and their noise machine have been pounding the lack of Obama “action” point for more than a week. (i.e They represent the “some grumbles.”) So of course that's what the “people” want, right? I mean, why else would the people elect Republicans to run the government?

Oh wait, for the last two election cycles the “people” have forcefully rebuked Republicans at the ballot box. And yet the press seems wed to the notion that Republicans have a direct line to what “people” want. Plus, if a sea of media pundits agree that there hasn't been enough Obama “action” lately, than that's good enough for the AP.