I don't mean that literally. President Obama welcoming the troops out of the danger of Iraq and into the safety of Kuwait would have been incredibly cheesy and manipulative, like W landing on the aircraft carrier. But let's not forget, as much as we mock W today for "Mission Accomplished", that was a damn successful photo op in its day.
But the White House has missed (yet again, IMO) an opportunity to take credit for a solid achievement. Why not an Oval Office speech? Why not let Obama dramatically give the order via videoconference to begin the withdrawal?
For the President of the United States, highlighting successes of his administration is not just politics, it's leadership. It is a demonstration of the president's effectiveness working on behalf of his citizens, which will only make him more effective as it inspires those citizens.
Obama's reticence to blow his horn has real political consequences. He is the leader of a political party facing a tough election in November. The party's fortunes rise and fall with the president's approval numbers, and his ability to continue governing are directly related to the party's fortunes. Failure to capitalize on a success like the troop withdrawal hurts Obama's chances to further his political agenda down the road.
Reagan and Clinton would have done something dramatic to dominate the story for days. Turd Blossom would have had W hop in the last truck and driven it across the border in prime time. Obama needs to learn from their example.