Misoverestimating Obama

The release of the torture memos is proving to be a fine example in narcissistic personality disorder causing havoc. I repeat myself AGAIN on this point: There were two choices before Obama last week. Both had merit.

1. Do not release the memos. State without equivocation that they will remain classified and he will fight any attempts to declassify. Further state that the U.S. abides by international standards and laws now with all its prisoners. Move on.

2. Release the memos. Take responsibility for the uproar that would follow. State without equivocation that America must comes to terms with terrorists, and how to deal with them, and he would follow the law wherever it lead, including holding people responsible if they broke it.

Obama did neither.

I have no doubt that he felt he needed to be "loved" by his base and therefore released the documents to prove something. But he knew he did not have the stomach to man up and let things play out legally. The Justice Department - or at least some in it - think otherwise.

From the Daily Beast:
that senior Justice Department lawyers were "incensed" at the Emanuel and Gibbs statements, as one put it-not because they disagreed with Obama's apparent opposition to an investigation and prosecution, but because the statements violated well-established rules separating political figures in the White House from decisions about active criminal cases.

Punting is the Obama way. This unfortunate habit is in evidence through out his first 100 days. He seems unable to retain clarity of vision on anything of importance. He, in effect, punted on the memos, trying to please everyone and pleasing no one. The banking plan refuses to nationalize rotten banks but, in effect, does so by making the taxpayer the owners - though, since he won't nationalize, we have little say in what the banks do with our money. He most certainly punted on the stimulus bill, the result being a hodge podge mess.

"Punting" plays out differently in the foreign sphere. He punts by apologizing at every turn. Again - this is an indicator that he thinks being personally liked is more important than a coherent policy. "We're sorry about W, please like me" does not make for a foreign policy anyone can respect.

It is interesting how thoroughly his aura has been shredded in 100 days. Congress appears to be the lead branch of government now - a few short months after his "historic" election to head the executive branch. No doubt Congress will be the captain of the torture memo ship going forward. He has caused resentments galore with the CIA, and now, his Justice Department.

People need to understand that this comes from a fundamental lack of Executive skill. And this lack of skill comes from having things handed to him through out his life and having others do the heavy lifting. The gravity and the blowback potential of releasing the memos seems not to have occurred to him. I have no doubt that he convinced himself of the righteousness of his muddled stance and assumed everyone else would go along.

It is hard to imagine a President McCain or Hillary Clinton misunderestimating the potential problems. The reason? One word: experience.