American Politics in Pictures

Yes, you read it right: 

Obama Waffles, Obama Throws Kerry Under Bus

Just saying... If I were John Kerry, I'd be seriously pissed.

And yes that is a picture of President Obama throwing out the first pitch.

Kerry went to bat

On Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry laid it all out on the line in support of his President.

“We know that after a decade of conflict, the American people are tired of war — believe me, I am, too,” said Mr. Kerry, who opposed the Iraq war in his failed presidential bid in 2004. “But fatigue does not absolve us of our responsibility. Just longing for peace does not necessarily bring it about. And history would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator’s wanton use of weapons of mass destruction against all warnings, against all common understanding of decency.”  NYT

Mere hours later President Obama reversed course.

“I’m ready to act in the face of this outrage,” Obama said. “Today I’m asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are ready to move forward together as one nation.” WAPO 

Don't get me wrong...

I agree with and support President Obama's decision to take the matter to congress,  I just think he left his Secretary of State hanging out in the wind, which sometimes may be necessary.  I do think it could have been handled differently,  such as letting Secretary Kerry make the announcement that the administration would be consulting with congress, but Kerry was a sport about it carrying the flag on all five major Sunday morning talk shows.

Our Face to the World

On the downside, it does present an indecisive face to the world, but I'd rather see the President do what is right and appear indecisive than carry on bravely into the breech. Alas, lacking naivete, I fear his decision was more based on obtaining political cover than his interpretation of constitutional law, yet it was the right decision nonetheless.