BET Wire: Everybody Loves to Hate Congress and the President

Obama pivots from Trayvon to the economy.

In Case You Missed It - Republicans leave President Obama scratching his head; Ben Carson kind of blames the spread of measles on immigrants; one lawmaker thinks it's OK if your food service worker doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break — and more. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)

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In Case You Missed It - Approval ratings for President Obama and Congress hit all-time low; a newly created PAC targets Newark Mayor Cory Booker; Allen West sings a different Trayvon Martin tune — and more. — Joyce Jones

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Enough Hate to Go Around - Obama and Congress have a problem. According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released July 24, their approval ratings are at an all-time low. An eye-popping 83 percent say they disapprove of the job Congress is doing, and the president's approval rating dropped to 45 percent.  (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Redirecting the Conversation - President Obama went on a three-city tour July 24 to push his economic priorities. “With this endless parade of distractions and political posturing and phony scandals, Washington’s taken its eye off the ball,” he said at Knox College. “This needs to stop. This moment does not require short-term thinking, and it does not require having the same old stale debates. Our focus must be on the basic economic issues that matter most to you — the people we represent.” (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

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Redirecting the Conversation - President Obama went on a three-city tour July 24 to push his economic priorities. “With this endless parade of distractions and political posturing and phony scandals, Washington’s taken its eye off the ball,” he said at Knox College. “This needs to stop. This moment does not require short-term thinking, and it does not require having the same old stale debates. Our focus must be on the basic economic issues that matter most to you — the people we represent.” (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Ready, Aim - The newly created super PAC American Commitment Action Fund has Newark Mayor Cory Booker in its sights. The group has committed $100,000 to defeating Booker's Senate bid. "The charade is over," declares the PAC's first online ad, which paints Booker as an absentee mayor who spends more time in the spotlight than he does taking care of business at home.  (Photo: AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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Ready, Aim - The newly created super PAC American Commitment Action Fund has Newark Mayor Cory Booker in its sights. The group has committed $100,000 to defeating Booker's Senate bid. "The charade is over," declares the PAC's first online ad, which paints Booker as an absentee mayor who spends more time in the spotlight than he does taking care of business at home.  (Photo: AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

West Changes His Tune - “I believe it comes back to being a respectful young man and maybe that’s something that was missing out of President Obama and Trayvon Martin’s life,” former congressman Allen West said of the president's recent speech about the teen and race. “But to try to play this and try to make it a personal experience, this was just absolutely horrific.” At the time of the shooting, West said, "It seems … there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him."  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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West Changes His Tune - “I believe it comes back to being a respectful young man and maybe that’s something that was missing out of President Obama and Trayvon Martin’s life,” former congressman Allen West said of the president's recent speech about the teen and race. “But to try to play this and try to make it a personal experience, this was just absolutely horrific.” At the time of the shooting, West said, "It seems … there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him."  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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The Other West - Princeton professor Cornel West called Obama the "global George Zimmerman," referring to the president's drone strike program, "because he tries to rationalize the killing of innocent children, 221 so far, in the name of self-defense. (Photo:  REUTERS/Jason Reed)

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The Other West - Princeton professor Cornel West called Obama the "global George Zimmerman," referring to the president's drone strike program, "because he tries to rationalize the killing of innocent children, 221 so far, in the name of self-defense. (Photo:  REUTERS/Jason Reed)

Anthony Weiner on his opponents in the New York City mayoral campaign: - "If you want people who've been in city government for a while, who are sleepwalking through the campaign, who are trying not to offend people, vote for the other guy."(Photo: AP Photo/Richard Drew)

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Meet Carlos Danger - You know him as New York City mayoral candidate and former congressman Anthony Weiner. He had warned that there'd be another round of sexting allegations, which he acknowledged to be true at a July 23 press conference. Weiner used the handle Carlos Danger to conduct a lewd correspondence online with a woman not his wife that seems to have ended only when he threw his hat into the race.  (Photo: AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A Hostage Situation - Congressional Republicans are planning to gut funding in several areas, including energy, labor, health and other priorities unless funding for Obamacare is stripped this fall when the budget battle begins anew. Expect another war over the debt ceiling, too, which House Speaker John Boehner says will not be raised without "real cuts in spending." (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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A Hostage Situation - Congressional Republicans are planning to gut funding in several areas, including energy, labor, health and other priorities unless funding for Obamacare is stripped this fall when the budget battle begins anew. Expect another war over the debt ceiling, too, which House Speaker John Boehner says will not be raised without "real cuts in spending." (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)