http://www.freep.com/...
That's Detroit Free Press, not Free Republic)
Obama got caught on tape Monday telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more room to negotiate on missile defense after getting through a November election, presumably expecting to win and not have to face voters again.
It was picked up by live microphones during a meeting with Medvedev and soon shot around the world. "This is my last election," Obama was heard telling Medvedev, Russia's outgoing president. "After my election, I have more flexibility."
You and I understand what Obama meant, but you can't expect the Republicans to cast his open mic admission as anything other than bad faith with the American people. That's the way modern politics work, unfortunately.
You can only blame the president's carelessness for this major gaffe. He's a smart guy, though, and if anyone can extricate himself from the worms and get back out of the can, Obama can do it.
But the timing is a real shame. Here we had the Etch-A-Sketch shakin' and bakin' and the Prez steps on it. Crunch. Oops.
However, it does create the opportunity to force Romney out of the weeds now that Russia is our "number one enemy." He needs to explain what he has in store for Public Enemy No. 1.
That could be worth the price of admission in itself. Then he is forced into an arena with the heavyweight champ while he's still fighting tomato cans down at the Boys' Club.
And God only knows what those bozos come back with to check Romney.
Pass the popcorn.
Update:
Hmm, I just saw that Boehner jumped out and declared that it wouldn't be appropriate to jump Obama's case over the Russian remarks "while he's overseas." Since when? Never saw hesitation to jump on Obama anywhere, including Kenya if they can constructively locate him there.
My guess is that Boehner is reading my mind and he doesn't want to get his pug in the foreign policy ring with Obama until he's at least sparred once or twice with a punching bag.
There's plenty of time to exploit this gaffe after he punches out Santorum and Gingrich. He doesn't need to be rope-a-doped around the ring by Obama with Santorum and Gingrich snapping at each heel.
Besides, it's probably a good idea to have someone with a clue about foreign policy coach you before you step on Superman's cape.