Obama escapes political heat in Massachusetts

>> there. the weather was just fine on martha's vineyard today where president obama enjoyed a round of golf. meantime, his supporters and rivals battled it out on the sunday talk show circuit pipt all comes amid new concerns tonight about the future of social security . we get our report from nbc's mike viqueira.

>> reporter: president obama on the golf course today in martha's vineyard enjoying his fourth day of a family vacation. while back in washington, a top political adviser insists the coming campaign is not a concern.

>> the president's not worried ability his job. he's worried about creating jobs for millions of americans who've been out of work for six months or two years or longer.

>> reporter: but heading into the 2012 election, neither the economy nor the politics look good for the president. many of his strongest backers including african- americans are openly frustrated. today a leader of the congressional black caucus called for the president to fight harder.

>> when he came in, he talked about hope. he talked about jobs. he talked about fairness. he talked about addressing wall street effectively and efficiently. and trying to make a difference. he's got to go back to those basic points.

>> reporter: this month more fall out from a week economy. a new report says funding for federal disability insurance administered through social security and now paying benefits to 13.5 million americans will run out of money in 2017 . due in part to a flood of newly unemployed applicants seeking to replace lost income. one official at the program saying it's primarily economic desperation. meanwhile, former bush and obama aides traded barbs today over the darkening economic picture.

>> his policies have utterly failed. this is his seventh or eighth or ninth time we've heard the president talk about producing a plan.

>> as someone who's a leader in the white house that turned a record surplus into a deficit, that got us involved in a war that we never should have been in and turned the floor of the new york stock exchange into a casino, i don't think the american casino are quite ready to hear a lecture from you on good government.

>> reporter: the president is preparing from a major economic address next month. mike viqueira, nbc news, washington.