Yesterday, I posted the following:

Given his penchant for “misremembering” conversations (and for apparently misreading people entirely despite years of close contact — see Exhibit A, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, for an example), we can’t be sure that President Obama is even accurately recounting what Caterpillar CEO James Owens said to him in their conversation. However, here‘s what he seems to think went on:

President Barack Obama says Caterpillar’s chief executive has told him the company will rehire some laid-off workers if the stimulus bill passes.

The heavy equipment maker announced more than 22,000 job cuts last month as it scales back production amid the economic slowdown. …

Obama said Caterpillar’s CEO has told him that if the stimulus bill passes he would be able to rehire some of those employees.

Obama is to speak with some of those workers on Thursday when he visits a Caterpillar manufacturing plant in Peoria, Ill.

As I said, all we have to go with on this is President Obama’s word and the AP’s reporting — two things that haven’t exactly earned the benefit of the doubt recently.

And lookie here: today, ABC News reported:

President Obama today repeated the claim we asked about yesterday at the press briefing that Jim Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar, Inc., “said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off.” …

But after the president left the event, Owens said the exact opposite.

Asked if the stimulus package would be able to stop the 22,000 layoffs or not, Owens said, “I think realistically no. The truth is we’re going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again”

“It is going to take some time before that stimulus bill” means re-hiring, he said.

It’s ironic, isn’t it, that the supposed symbol of all that is good, honest, and competent sitting in the Oval Office now appears to have serious trouble with all three — and in particular, with the truth?