My Thursday column is naturally about Mitt Romney's supremely massive foreign policy lie/blunder yesterday. The man is completely and totally predictable:
This week, Vanity Fair published a beautifully written article by Michael Lewis about the president that happens to use the American involvement with the NATO military conflict in Libya as a through-line. It's possibly the best insider piece on the president since a 2008 Newsweek series that pulled back the curtain on the president's life during the campaign.
In addition to covering the often harrowing, emotionally tumultuous and purely weird aspects of life in the White House, as well as the president's insider tips on what's required to be the leader of the free world (for example, routine and exercise is crucial otherwise the job will crush you), the article covered a meeting of the "principals" in the Situation Room as the administration was readying a plan to keep Qaddafi from committing wholesale genocide in Benghazi. There were two options for the president: 1) participate with Europe in a completely ineffectual no-fly zone (Qaddafi was only using ground forces in his march to Benghazi), or 2) do nothing. The president determined, with obvious reason, that both options were unacceptable in spite of recommendations from both Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton. History shows that a combination no-fly zone and air-strike operation was successfully engaged, culminating with the death of Qaddafi, a rapid end to the mission and free elections.
Regardless of the specifics, it's clear that the president takes foreign policy decisions deadly serious and doesn't kneejerk into tight spots. Furthermore, the president told Lewis that he absolutely dislikes the notion of "feigned outrage." The president values disciplined authenticity over bluster -- another trait that's helpful when dealing with sensitive overseas events.
As I read the article yesterday, I had no idea what was about to occur both in Libya and in the context of the campaign for president... Continue reading.