Who are the extremists?

Back in the early part of the presidential campaign, candidate John Edwards (D) used to talk about two Americas, basically referring to the haves and the have nots. Our current President disavowed such talk, and asserted that if elected, he would be President of all Americans.

Apparently, he does think there are two Americas: populated with devotees and extremists. In yet another moment unbecoming of the Office (emphasis mine):

Mr. Obama, during his private pep talk to Democrats, recognized Mr. Owens election and then posed a question to the other lawmakers. According to Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, who supports the health care bill, the president asked, “Does anybody think that the teabag, anti-government people are going to support them if they bring down health care? All it will do is confuse and dispirit” Democratic voters “and it will encourage the extremists.”

The "teabag, anti-government people" comment is a furious slur against the millions of Americans using their Constitutionally protected right to protest, speak and challenge their elected representatives on matters of policy. I won't go into the pros and cons of the Tea Party Movement here, but the fact is that these people are not, by any stretch, "anti-government." Rather, they hearken to the principles of government advocated and established by the Founders. It would be better to say they are "anti-"big"-government.

I find it greatly disturbing to know that such words may have issued from the mouth of our "post-partisan" President, whose oratory supposedly brings all humanity together in peace, vision and harmony. On the contrary, I'm starting to think that he really does have tremendously little respect for people. If not contempt.

And just who is he referring to with the word "extremists"? Anybody who disagrees with him? (h/t: The Corner)