Former senator Thompson writes:
we are left wondering, “When will our President finally tells us the truth about what must be done?” And we know that we won’t be finding out soon. For a man who considers himself competitive, who likes to be compared to and hang around athletes, President Obama sure acts like a man who doesn’t want the ball. By any definition President has failed the courage test.
President Obama is uniquely positioned to lead on the most serious issue facing this country, the most serious issue of a generation – the government spending, driven by entitlements, which is a clear and present danger to this country. Facing this historic dilemma, he has gone to great lengths to avoid the problem then exacerbate it and demagogue those who would try to address it. He is not a stupid man. It can only be because he sees short term political gain. He believes that when the roof falls in, the blame can or will be placed on someone else. Maybe his predecessor. Maybe his successor. Maybe those on Capitol Hill who so foolishly stand around waiting for something to be done at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
But in the end, the pressure is – and rightfully should be on Obama. He chose to take his “talents” to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. People looked past the lack of real-world experience, his instinct to vote “Present.” He was the “Chosen One,” the best at every level, overmatching his adversaries with his skill, grace and oratory. That illusion lasted right up until, when he was faced with the choice of his own self-interest or that of his country, he choked. And he revealed to the last holdout that he is not a man of courage.
In the 2012 election, we must do better. I turned to the debate last night. We just might.