Jan 31, 2014 03:23 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

After an apparent slight at art history majors during a speech he made at a factory in Wisconin recently, President Obama back-tracked, slightly, on his statement, so as not to offend anyone.

"Now, nothing wrong with an art history degree -- I love art history," Obama said. "So I don't want to get a bunch of emails from everybody. I'm just saying you can make a really good living and have a great career without getting a four-year college education as long as you get the skills and the training that you need."

But it was too late, for once a President says something, he can't take it back. More than a few publications and professors have responded strongly to Obama's accidental put down of art history majors, which went like this:

"[A] lot of young people no longer see the trades and skilled manufacturing as a viable career. But I promise you, folks can make a lot more, potentially, with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree."

Upon first reading Inside Higher Ed's headline, "Obama vs. Art History," and their lead, "President joins the ranks of politicians who suggest liberal arts disciplines don't lead to jobs," I was ready to defend the liberal arts education, which I received at Hamilton College. After reading the reactions, I was ready to defend Obama. Now, I'm not so sure, but probably mostly against what the president said.

Obviously (accentuated by the backdrop of Wisconsin workers), Obama's intention was to point out an even greater slight, the one directed at skilled jobs and manufacturing. As president, that's all he should have said: that people don't fully understand the potential earnings of those career paths. But he couldn't resist taking a soft jab at art history majors.

Really, adding the comparison to art history was a separate, but related point that he also could have worded differently. Not only does Obama believe people undervalue skill jobs, but he seems to believe that viewpoint partially exists because people may overvalue a college education, especially related to majors with less than clear career paths.

Likely, Obama's primary intent was to raise the profile of skilled jobs, and yet, he clearly holds some belief against liberal arts-esque majors. 

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