A kinder interpretation of his words is that airport security has been driving people up the wall, and that he is promising to reduce airport security, or at least make it somewhat less crazy, but this would involve reducing the power of the state over its subjects, which does not sound much like Obama, and recognizing that the state is doing bad things to its subjects, which does not sound much like Obama. Further, that kinder interpretation is a very strange thing to mention in a sales pitch – “Hey, I know we suck, but I will try to suck not quite as much”.

To say “I know someone else sucks, but we are going to make it right” is still a dreadful sales pitch, but something one is more likely to slip into doing.