Jeanne Shaheen, the Democratic Senator from New Hampshire who was the national chairperson of John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, has decided that she, like Kerry, doesn’t think American military veterans tell the truth. Yesterday, at an Obama campaign event, Shaheen introduced Obama by saying, “And let’s not forget that this is the commander in chief who finally led the mission that brought Osama bin Laden to justice.”
Since many SEALs have condemned Obama’s depiction of himself as the hero in the killing of Bin Laden (watching the video had to be difficult) just as the Swift Boat Veterans denounced the lies of John Kerry, Shaheen had to know she was challenging their view of the Bin Laden affair.
It didn’t matter. She had her marching orders: mindlessly repeat the meme that Obama, who reportedly had to be talked into it, was heroic in okaying the mission’s goal.
One question: even if it were true that Obama did reach the decision without prodding, what was heroic about that? Was there a single true American who wouldn’t want Bin Laden killed? Considering the universally enthusiastic American response, this had to be the easiest decision in presidential history. Unless …
Unless the president making the decision cared more about the response in the Arab world than the response from Americans. And when taking note of Obama’s obeisance toward the Saudi king, his encouragement of the Arab Spring, and his frosty relationship with Israel, is there really any doubt whose opinion mattered to him when making the call?
For Obama to claim credit for the Bin Laden killing as a heroic act only makes sense if he was only concerned about the Arab world’s reaction. And if Shaheen and her ilk were honest, they’d acknowledge that Obama’s claim reveals him to be a craven coward.