Fundamentals of the Economy are sound? Yes. No. Uh, I’ll get back to you.

I love Meet the Press. While I sorely miss Tim Russert, I believe David Gregory is so far doing a good job of pressing the politicians (from all parties) and not letting them get away with wishy-washy non-answers.

When John McCain says

the fundamentals our--of our economy are strong

he loses an election because he is branded an idiot.

Now that the economy has, by all reasonable measures, gotten significantly worse than it was when he said that,  Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, says

Well, of course the fundamentals are sound

and tries to tell us they mean different things. She dances around as David asks and asks and asks and finally gives up and he responds with “Hmm”

Of course she then goes on to say

The other thing I think is so important, the president has actually said in terms of fundamentals, we need to make changes.  That's why he's focusing on energy, education, getting the budget deficit under control, precisely because he said...

So things are fundamentally sound but they are the wrong things?

I actually cringed on her behalf as I watched this and wonder if this administration mouthpiece will be venture back to Meet the Press again.