President Barack Obama responded to critics who claim he has not achieved much in his first nine months in office, stating that he is just beginning. He has been facing criticism from both liberals and conservatives, with some wanting him to do more for causes like gay rights and others accusing him of taking too long to make decisions regarding US troops in Afghanistan. A skit on "Saturday Night Live" recently highlighted this criticism, with an actor portraying Obama jokingly stating that he has accomplished nothing so far. The criticism has grown over the past year, especially after Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Some sympathetic commentators even deemed it premature. Obama, on his first visit as president to assess Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, acknowledged that progress had been made in the US economy and healthcare system overhaul was within reach. He emphasized that he never expected his work to be easy, despite some reporters questioning why he hadn't solved world hunger yet. He asked why everyone hadn't done it yet, despite it being nine months since he mentioned it. He acknowledged that he never claimed it would be easy and reminded the crowd of what he had said during the campaign. I mentioned that change can be difficult, especially when it is a significant change. Obama seemed to be referring to Republicans who are against Democratic healthcare plans, accusing them of obstructing progress. Obama stated that he is just beginning and addressed the question of why some people dislike him. The town-hall meeting highlighted the political divide in America, with some in the crowd booing when Democratic Obama introduced Republican rising star Bobby Jindal. Despite this, Obama praised Jindal as a dedicated politician. A young boy named Terence Scott asked Obama why people hate him, to which Obama responded that not everyone does, as he did receive many votes when elected as president. Obama mentioned that recently on television, it appears that everyone is constantly angry. He attributed this to politics and Americans' worries about job security and healthcare. He acknowledged that when times are difficult, some blame will inevitably be directed towards him, but he emphasized that he is resilient.