Maureen Dowd, "Who’s Tough Enough?": Obama Is a Ramrod, Not a Pussy

Obama is obviously troubled by Republican chatter that he isn't strong enough to lead, and, as observed by Maureen Dowd in her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Who’s Tough Enough?" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/opinion/dowd-whos-tough-enough.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp), Joe Biden has been delegated the job of telling anyone who will listen that the president is a "ramrod." Dowd describes assurances given by the vice president to House Democrats:

"'I just want to tell you, this guy’s got a backbone like a ramrod,' the vice president assured House Democrats last week at a retreat in Cambridge, Md.

He repeated a line he’d heard to sum up what his party should campaign on: 'Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.'

. . . .

The vice president concluded triumphantly: 'This guy doesn’t lead from behind. He just leads.'"

Obama's decision to assassinate bin Laden was indeed gutsy, and General Motors is still building cars owing to Obama's praiseworthy intervention. So why are the Democrats disturbed? Maybe because the president has proven incapable of standing up to Iran and Russia.

US Defense Secretary Panetta acknowledged two weeks ago that Iran is only a year away from building a nuclear weapon (see: http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=249800), yet Obama continues to send mixed signals to Tehran concerning American resolve to prevent this nightmarish scenario from becoming a reality (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2011/12/iran-and-obama-administration.html). Obama's refusal in 2009 to provide anti-government protestors in Iran with any sign of support remains a stain upon his administration's record. Similarly, Obama's delay in condemning atrocities perpetrated by Syria's Assad, an ally of Tehran, against unarmed opponents, also does not bespeak courage.

Determined to "reset" US relations with Russia, Obama cancelled the erection of a missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland, which Putin opposed. Appeasement in this instance, at the expense of Central European allies, has been rewarded by Moscow's refusal to assist in implementing sanctions against Iran and by continued arms sales to Syria.

Obama's attempt at bullying Israel at the beginning of his first term? We can only wonder how Obama will "ramrod" Israel if he is re-elected.

Obviously, there is a reason Democrats are worried by allegations that Obama has no spine. Moreover, Joe Biden should be watching his own back: It remains to be seen whether Obama will diss Biden as his running mate later this year in favor of Hillary Clinton.