Many of the OOTD entries have to do with poor research informing statements from Barack Obama, but today’s is perhaps the most embarrassing. Obama wanted to get a photo opportunity with a real, live, unemployed person — only no one bothered to check why Leslie Macko is still unemployed:

Leslie Macko was once employed at ACAC in the Albemarle Square Shopping Center. In 2009, Macko was convicted of prescription drug fraud, at which point she lost her job as an esthetician in the spa at ACAC.

However, on July 19, Macko was seen standing next to President Barack Obama as his example of the needs to extend jobless benefits.

“We need to extend unemployment compensation benefits for women like Leslie Macko, who lost her job at a fitness center last year, and has been looking for work ever since. Because she’s eligible for only a few more weeks of unemployment, she’s doing what she never thought she’d have to do. Not at this point, anyway. She’s turning to her father for financial support,” Obama said in his speech.

Here are a couple of better questions. Why is our money going to support a convicted fraudster? And why can’t the White House do research, for crying out loud?

Update: The story says that no one can be sure that the fraud conviction is what caused Macko to lose her job, but it’s certainly not helping her find a new one.  I’ve adjusted the first paragraph to be more on point.  The OOTD is more about the White House putting a fraudster on stage as an example of the misfortunate unemployed, when Macko created her own problems by breaking the law.

Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at [email protected] with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day! Chris has started his annual fund drive, so be sure to visit the DBD site and keep DBD in action!