Chan Lowe: The education of Barack Obama
It isn't so much the passage of time that has caused the scales to fall from Barack Obama's eyes; it's the view.
Things look a lot different from behind that big, heavy desk in the Oval Office than they do on the campaign trail.
Out on the stump, you can pretty much say whatever you want, attack whomever you want for whatever policy or character flaw, and the only thing you have to worry about is your continued credibility with your listeners. And oh, how they love it when you throw them a fat chunk of red meat.
Once in that hot seat, though, you're confronted with a kaleidoscope of moving parts never dreamt of in your philosophy, and you have to start worrying about things like what's good for the country, not only your base.
Your base just doesn't get it. They don't understand how the dominoes work over there. If you explained it to them the way it's been explained to you, they wouldn't believe it, anyway. But you can't blow them off, because you need them to bend over and give up something for you on health care.
So you sit there at the intersection of domestic politics and global strategy, trying to thread the needle in a windstorm.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
Whoever it was that said it's easier to get into a war than it is to get out of one was right.
Regardless of what some people might think, President Obama isn't stupid. He knew that he was in a classic "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. He may not have made the best of all possible choices, but he made what he felt was the right choice at the time.
And only time will tell if he was right.
Posted by: LRP | December 3, 2009 3:57 PM
It was a bad idea for Iraq. ANYTHING was a bad idea for IRaq. The war should have always been Afghanistan. I fear what might happen if Talibs get a nuke from a Paki supporter.
Posted by: charles | December 3, 2009 4:33 PM
Thank god charles is not in charge.
Bush won the war for oil in Iraq.
Obama just ordered 1000's and 1000's of young men and women to re-do Vietnam as a timed event.
Start building the memorial to galactic stupidity.
Posted by: Matt | December 3, 2009 5:16 PM
low-down you are my favorite . keep it up. you are the best.
Posted by: dan | December 3, 2009 7:40 PM
@ charles totally agree with you
Posted by: dan | December 3, 2009 8:03 PM
As I watched the speech Tuesday night all I could think was that O had taken one of his old speeches and combined it with one of Bush's. Every time O made a point he'd counter it in the next sentence, it's like he was debating himself.
The war is not about Afghanistan, it's about Bin Laden! We need to find him, try him in a military court and execute him. Then, and only then, can we talk about bringing our troops home.
If you walk out of the ball game in the 7th inning you lose!
Posted by: Pointman870 | December 4, 2009 1:24 PM
Obummas war in Afghanistan does not seem to be soliciting the same outrage as Bushes war on terror.
Guess what you libtard Obumma supporters...IT IS A CONTINUATION OF THE SAME WAR!
Not hearing the blood for oil mantra now, are we children?
Posted by: I say | December 5, 2009 3:18 AM
Dear I say,
I think that's because there isn't any oil in Afghanistan. Maybe we're there for a more legitimate reason.
Posted by: John | December 5, 2009 7:46 AM