Obama Rebuts Charge That He Doesn't Believe In American Exceptionalism

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama countered a charge from Mitt Romney that he's been weak in projecting American power abroad.

But Obama skipped a chance to blast Romney and the rest of the GOP presidential field. Speaking alongside leaders of Mexico and Canada, Obama played the statesman's role. He said he's cutting his GOP critics "some slack" during the Republican primary contest.

But Obama did take exception to Romney's weekend remark that Obama doesn't believe in "American exceptionalism," a reference to the unique role of the world's only superpower.

Obama reminded a Rose Garden news conference that the 2004 Democratic convention speech that brought him to national attention was all about "American exceptionalism."

Obama said that in that speech that his story could not have happened in any other country on earth.

Later on, Obama said that he was confident that the Supreme Court would uphold the constitutionality of health care reform.