Obama Presser Recap: A 'Shellacking' but No Policy Referendum and Still 'In a Ditch

On Wednesday, President Obama held a press conference to discuss the 2010 elections. Elusive, he refused to recognize that Americans might be sending him a message regarding their thoughts on his policies, but did admit that Tuesday's elections felt "bad" and were a "shellacking." He ended with some introspection, and also compared this time in his presidency to similar times in Clinton's and Reagan's. All in his own own Obamania way.

Obama opened by eluding to the election as "humbling" and not "fun:"

He went back-and-forth with Savannah Guthrie about whether or not the election was a referendum on his policies, saying it was instead about the economy. Still, he acknowledged voter frustration, and said it could be because he didn't follow through on his promise to change the way politics was done. For example, he "had to" sign earmarked legislation in order to "get things done," but recognizes that upset some:

Just when you thought he might slip up and admit the elections really could have been about his policies, he makes sure to point out they weren't -- and less you be mistaken, voters were not making any statement about health care legislation:

Heck, he even expounded on his "ditch" analogy (in response to a specific question about it), saying that the country is still in that ditch and now Republicans and Democrats have to work together to push it out:

He ended the presser with some introspection, calling the Democratic defeats a "shellacking" while saying they offer "lessons" that are good for him...

...and compared the situation he's in now to similar times in the presidencies of "great communicators" like Clinton and Reagan:

Your thoughts?