OPINION:
ANALYSIS
President Obama listless, weak response to radical Islamic terrorism was on full display Tuesday — again demonstrating his lack leadership on the world stage and tone-deafness when it comes to what the American people expect of him.
As Tuesday’s events in Brussels were unfolding — and it was unclear how many American lives had been lost — Mr. Obama sat next to a murderous dictator in Cuba, at a baseball game, and was seen laughing, smiling and doing the wave.
Mr. Obama’s first interview about the attack was with ESPN, at the ballpark, donning shades, where he offered his “thoughts and prayers” for the victims and said the Brussels event was “just one more example of why the world needs to unite against terrorists.”
It lasted less than 60 seconds.
Nicole Wallace, who served as communications director for former President George W. Bush, said the president’s optics in handling the situation were “catastrophic.”
“I’m not making a partisan statement when I say that the optics of his day yesterday were catastrophic from a White House communications standpoint,” Ms. Wallace said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program Wednesday.
And what a double standard.
When former President George W. Bush addressed terrorism on a golf course during his term, calling on nations to do everything they could to stop it, and then added “now watch this drive,” the mainstream media had a field day. The clip was featured in Michael Moore’s documentary, and Mr. Bush was called “the perfect idiot.”
It was a mistake not repeated.
Yet Mr. Obama continues to falter in his response to radical Islamic terrorism.
After journalist James Foley was brutally executed by the Islamic State terror group, Mr. Obama condemned the action and then went on to play a round of golf. After the Paris attacks last year, the president declined to walk arm-in-arm with foreign leaders Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, among others, in solidarity.
In the wake of the San Bernardino shooting, Mr. Obama called for gun control and voiced his frustration at the frequency of mass shootings in America. What he should have done was to call out the violence for what it was — an act of terrorism.
With Mr. Obama’s tepid response to the Islamic State, there’s no wonder why GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s robust, often over-the-top statements of strength are being embraced by the American populous.
Wake up, Mr. Obama. We’re not dealing with a JV team. It’s time to head home from the ballpark and be a leader on the world stage.
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