Ed Rollins –CNN political contributor, Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee and former political director for President Reagan– wrote a fine commentary for CNN.com today, about President Obama's handling of the Somali pirates.
"President Obama's authorization of Saturday's hostage rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, and the justified killing of three Somali pirates by Navy SEAL sharpshooters, took real courage and was certainly the right decision."
Now remember, this guy is from the Reagan administration, which built its entire policy around the military. Rollins knows what he's talking about, and expressed a reasoned, conservative congratulations to a job well done by the new administration.
As expected, Rollins pointed out high up in the commentary that he doesn't agree with Obama on most issues. That's not a surprise, nor does anyone have to agree with Obama. That's the whole point of our democracy. However, Rollins did not use this national security episode to his party's advantage, like so many Right-Wingers did this past weekend.
Rollins, one of the last true old-school Republicans left, knew that Obama did a good job, and actually said so. Where's the praise from the rest of his party? I'm not saying the Republicans have to come out and say they love Obama. They should never (and will never) feel forced to do so. But by simply hanging back, after bombarding the Sunday talk-shows with reasons why Obama was going to f*ck up the pirate situation, the Republicans are reneging on their duty (the duty they used so effectively as a political weapon) as Americans.
The United States Military just completed a serious, critical mission, with the kind of efficiency they weren't allowed to exercise at any point during the previous administration. It was a great moment for the United States, and its military. Ed Rollins knows that; he was able to shed his partisan robe, even for one day, to recognize and appreciate what just happened. Too bad the rest of his party isn't man enough to do the same.