If anyone had any doubt left, it became readily apparent that Team Obama knew the president really messed up with his “you didn’t build that” remarks when they sat the president down to make a personal appeal from inside the White House about how his words were being taken “out of context” (…or something). The president’s words struck a chord with the American people, and not in a good way — and it doesn’t look like the damage control is getting them anywhere. So, they’re changing tack, with a new ad to be seen by the many Americans who will no doubt be watching the Olympic opening ceremonies.

It seems to me that the “I believe” tone, the focus on hard-working rural and suburban Americans, and the always-a-favorite “America is the greatest nation on earth” is pretty much meant to directly counter the distinctly un-American feel of his unpopular comments with some patriotic red meat, no? Heavy on the feel-good Americana, upbeat, light on specifics, and zero mention of Mitt Romney — definitely a noticeable change from their usual approach, and I’d guess that they’re hoping it’ll reach a large audience and help wash away the bitter “you didn’t build that” taste in their mouths. (His middle-class-outward, no-more-top-down economic rhetoric still has me plenty confused, but I suppose, if you don’t think too hard, it sounds kind of pretty, right?)