Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said this morning that she found President Obama’s comments to the Congressional Black Caucus that they should “stop complaining” to be “a bit curious” and suggested that he would never use such language with other communities.

“I’m not sure exactly who the president was talking to,” the former chair of the CBC said on CBS’ Early Show.

Speaking at their annual gala on Saturday, the president told the CBC that he understands their frustration with high black unemployment, but he urged them not to lose hope. “Stop complaining. Stop grumbling. Stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do,” said an impassioned Obama.

“I’m not sure who the president was addressing. I found that language a bit curious,” Waters said today. “The president spoke to the Hispanic Caucus… he certainly didn’t tell them to stop complaining and he never would say that to the gay and lesbian community who really pushed him on don’t ask don’t tell or even in a speech to APEC, he would never say to the Jewish community stop complaining about Israel.”

“So I don’t know who he was talking to because we’re certainly not complaining. We are working. We support him and we are protecting that base because we want people to be enthusiastic about him when that election rolls around,” Waters concluded.