By Pablo Fanque,
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Jack Brummet recently made an
I found BHO's admission refreshing, particularly in light of the major dissembling we saw during the Bush-Cheney Administration. How refreshing that we actually elected a President whose immediate instinct was NOT a cover-up, choosing a sacrificial lamb from his staff roster, or the usual dissembling, back-pedaling, partisan backbiting, and lying.
"I screwed up," is the most exhilarating phrase to come out of the Oval Office in a long time! It almost hearkens back to President Harry S. Truman's "The buck stops here." I made a mistake! Sorry. I'll try not to do it again.
What did we hear from the White House when they withdrew the laughable and ill-advised nomination of Harriett Miers to fill one of the vacancies created by William Rehnquist's death and Sandra O'Connors retirement? On October 27, 2005, the White House announced that "Harriet Miers has asked President Bush to withdraw her nomination." This, after a massive firestorm from both political parties (ed's note: interestingly enough, it was Harry Reid's idea n the first place).
What did we hear from President Bush on May 1st, 2003, a few months after the war began? "In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." And, of course, "Mission accomplished." Nearly six years later, the mission is still underway with around 90,000 civilian deaths, and 4,237 military personnel dead--note: 4,090 of those military deaths occurred after The President announced as he stepped out of his flying suit (he was just a passenger):
"Mission accomplished!"
Obama's admission may not be a pretty truth, but it was the truth. He screwed up, and we can live with that. You get a Mulligan this time, BHO, even if cranky pundits like Jack Brummet abuse you for your forthrightness.
Go Barry Go!
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