I happend on an item at cnn.com entitled, "Rollins: Obama made the right call on rescue." Hmm, could this be an article by Ed Rollins, former head of the National Republican Congressional Committee and political director for the sainted Ronald Reagun, saying that Obama did well with respect to the Somalian pirate kerfuffle? Indeed, it was the very same Ed Rollins penning this commentary.
Rollins, unlike other Republicans, appears to understand that during the course of a sensitive operation, the President ought to be given at least a little bit of breathing room. Second-guess presidential decisions after the incident but give the president space to make decisions as he is the Commander--in-Chief. Rollins noted that this is the kind of choice that presidents have to make and that President Obama's action "took real courage and was certainly the right decision."
Then, somewhat surprisingly and perhaps gratuitously, Rollins went on to extol praise on Obama's defense/military team in general. He noted that he was particularly pleased that Obama retained Robert Gates, well satisfied with the appointment of James Jones and, cherry on the top, positively referenced the naming Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who, as Rollins noted, told Congress that Rumsfeld had not committed enough troops for the post-war occupation of Iraq (and was fired for that sin). Perhaps this is Rollins way of getting back at Rumsfeld but nonetheless his conclusion is strong:
The bottom line is the president has a first-rate team of advisers and he followed their counsel in this hostage crisis. There will be many more tests to come for the president and his team, but the message from this event is that if you harm or capture an American anywhere in the world, you will pay a heavy price.
As one American, I can just say, "Thank you Mr. President!"
If Republicans as rock-ribbed as Ed Rollins are expressing support for President Obama it really shows just how far removed from reality the Gingrich/Beck/Limbaugh wing of the GOP has become. Such shouting and frustration evidences the increasing marginalization of the rump of the GOP and does nothing more than rally the basest of the base. Certainly, it is not effective policy or politics and Ed Rollins, of all people, apparently understands this point.