Yeah, bt, I agree....McCain does get me p-o'd....but I just don't like this attitude.

The word "wander" has a lengthy historical as well as modern day pejorative connotation.  Obama, as a person schooled enough in religion, knows the significance of using the word "wander" in the biblical sense too.

The choice of word is too coincidental to easily dismiss the subtle and overt impression it leaves on the listener aware of its definition  etymologically, biblically and/or colloquially. 

Additionally, "wander" dates back to before the 12th Century and "shiftless" towards the end of the 16th Century. 

wan·der   Audio Help   /ˈwɒndər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[won-der] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–verb (used without object)

1.
to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray: to wander over the earth.

2.
to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander: The river wanders among the rocks.

3.
to extend in an irregular course or direction: Foothills wandered off to the south.

4.
to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.

5.
(of the mind, thoughts, desires, etc.) to take one direction or another without conscious intent or control: His attention wandered as the speaker droned on.

6.
to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.: During the storm the ship wandered from its course.

7.
to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray: Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.

8.
to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.

–verb (used with object)

9.
to travel about, on, or through: He wandered the streets.

–noun

10.
Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME wandren, OE wandrian (c. G wandern), freq. of wendan to wend; see -er6]

—Related forms

wan·der·er, noun

—Synonyms 1. range, stroll. 2. saunter. 6. swerve, veer. 8. ramble, rave.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

wan·der   Audio Help   (wŏn'dər)  Pronunciation Key 
v.   wan·dered, wan·der·ing, wan·ders

v.   intr.

1. To move about without a definite destination or purpose.
2. To go by an indirect route or at no set pace; amble: wander toward town.
3. To proceed in an irregular course; meander.
4. To go astray: wander from the path of righteousness.
5. To lose clarity or coherence of thought or expression.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

wander

verb

1. 
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the next"; "They rolled from town to town" 

2. 
be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage; "She cheats on her husband"; "Might her husband be wandering?" [syn: cheat on] 

3. 
go via an indirect route or at no set pace; "After dinner, we wandered into town" 

4. 
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course; "the river winds through the hills"; "the path meanders through the vineyards"; "sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body" [syn: weave] 

5. 
lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking; "She always digresses when telling a story"; "her mind wanders"; "Don't digress when you give a lecture" [syn: digress] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

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