Obama's Dover Trip

Political foes praise the president's nighttime visit

President Obama's unannounced nighttime trip to honor the returning fallen soldiers at Dover Air Force Base is winning praise from pundits across the political spectrum:

• Steve Benen, The Washington Monthly Liberal Steve Benen writes that it was "good to see President Obama pay his respects this morning at Dover Air Force Base." Benen was joined in this sentiment by quite a few of his usual opponents.
  

• Jazz Shaw, The Moderate Voice "I have, unfortunately, had to attend a number of military funerals, including three in my own family," writes Shaw, a frequent critic of the president. "I'm glad that Obama took the time to fly out to Dover and witness this in person. He should also make time to go to the funerals of some of these men if the families choose to invite him."

• Pete Hegseth, The National Review  Conservative Hesgeth calls the Dover trip, though, "a classy move that I believe underscores the serious nature with which President Obama is approaching his forthcoming Afghanistan decision." He hopes that Obama will make a wise decision: "Anything less would be morally indefensible, both to the souls he saluted in the darkness and the families he consoled in their grief."

• David Frum, New Majority "Give the man credit: This was the right thing to do," writes the conservative Frum, "but it cannot have been easy--especially as he is making the decision that may lead to more such sad homecomings."

• Rick Moran, Right Wing Nut House Moran laid the matter out clearly. "President Barack Obama may be a cussed liberal ... and an arrogant chief executive with a thin skin ... [b]ut that doesn't mean we can't see him as a human being. And the burden he carries as Commander in Chief was brought home to him, I'm sure, last night." He notes the New York Times called the event "symbolic." But "[s]ome things, you just can't fake," says Moran. For example: "Clinton at Oklahoma City. George W. Bush talking about his son's torments. Ronald Reagan at Point du Hoc. And now, Obama at Dover."