To hear the world's corporate news media use the word, "populism" in a political context means tough talk, scape-goating, and retreating inward instead of engaging with the rest of the world.  US President Barack Obama disagrees.

At a news conference in Toronto where he was meeting with Canadian President Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, it seemed a lot of questions involved someone who wasn't even there - Republican party presidential candidate and fascist demagogue Donald Trump.  When one reporter referred to Trump's immigrant-bashing rhetoric as "populism", it set off President Obama.

"Somebody who has never shown any regard for workers, has never fought on behalf of social justice issues or making sure that poor kids are getting a decent shot at life or have health care" does not meet the definition of a populist, Mr. Obama said while noticably not mentioning the Orange Clown by name.  "They don't suddenly become a populist because they say something controversial in order to win votes.  That's not the measure of populism.  That's nativism, or xenophobia.  Or worse. Or it's just cynicism," he added.

The President has been itching to get on the campaign trail with his former Secretary of State, Democratic Party Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton, with dates scheduled next week.  Mr. Obama has proved to be incredibly effective at nailing Trump in the past.

Honing in on the definition of a "populist", the President made a point of saying that the Democratic Party's second-place candidate, US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, genuinely deserved the title of populist.

"Sorry," Obama said after the lengthy lesson.  "It's the prerogative of an outgoing president to go on an occasional rant," he said.