Barack Obama golfs while the Middle East burns | WashingtonExaminer.com.
Of course, Obama did not start the war in iraq, or in Afghanistan, although he seriously escalated the latter, and nearly 1,700 American troops have died in Afghanistan since he entered the White House. “Obama does not style himself as a ‘war president,’ and many Americans seem content with that,” noted the Washington Post’s Fred Hiatt in 2010. “Unlike his predecessor, Obama is not chided for playing golf in his off hours.”
But there is still the signal-sending. “I understand presidents need to relax and get away, but symbolism matters,” says another former Bush aide, Pete Wehner. “It matters because it speaks to something deeper. You send signals to the country about your priorities. I would prefer that he not do it because he is commander in chief and things are unraveling.”
As responsibility is thrust upon Obama whether he wants it or not, the golf issue will become larger and larger. As a tone deaf President, I expect him to continue to play and play and play until there is a Democratic intervention of softs.
