Every president should endeavor to take his proposals and how he plans to accomplish them to the people. If he can do this better with a teleprompter, he should take the teleprompter as well. Perhaps in the 1920's people were criticized for using microphones or automobiles. No president can please everyone, and it is no surprise that Obama cannot hope to please Kramer.
Juniorbush's Social Security proposals were not so great, but it was the right thing to do to take them on the road to see what the people thought.
American politics is like the soup choice at the local South Garden Chinese Restaurant: egg drop or won ton. You can have Democrats, who are occasionally right, or Republicans, who stopped being right around 1959. If you prefer sweet and sour or clam chowder, you are SOL.
But at least when the President tells you about the two choices, he is doing his job, just like the menu at South Garden.