Mario Piperni dot Com

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This NY Times editorial hits all the right notes.

The speech also made us reflect on how little Mr. Bush accomplished by needlessly invading Iraq in March 2003 — and then ludicrously declaring victory two months later.

Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction proved to be Bush administration propaganda. The war has not created a new era of democracy in the Middle East — or in Iraq for that matter. There are stirrings of democratic politics in Iraq that give us hope. But there is no government six months after national elections.

In many ways, the war made Americans less safe, creating a new organization of terrorists and diverting the nation’s military resources and political will from Afghanistan. Deprived of its main adversary, a strong Iraq, Iran was left freer to pursue its nuclear program, to direct and finance extremist groups and to meddle in Iraq.

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There was no victory to declare last night, and Mr. Obama was right not to try. If victory was ever possible in this war, it has not been won, and America still faces the daunting challenges of the other war, in Afghanistan.

For this day, it was worth dwelling on this milestone in Iraq and on some grim numbers: more than 4,400 Americans dead and some 35,000 wounded, many with lost limbs. And on one number that American politicians are loath to mention: at least 100,000 Iraqis dead.

Exactly.  And most important of all…

President George W. Bush tried to make Iraq an invisible, seemingly cost-free war. He refused to attend soldiers’ funerals and hid their returning coffins from the public. So it was fitting that Mr. Obama, who has improved veterans’ health care and made the Pentagon budget more rational, paid tribute to them.

“At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve,” he said on Tuesday night. He added: “There were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hope for Iraq’s future.”

And yet right-wing media types are complaining this morning that the President did not pay tribute to George Bush for implementing the surge.  Amazing.  These people will never acknowledge the damage done by Bush’s immoral war.

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From the comment pages.

“Everything in life is relative. Is Obama perfect? No. Would the GOP do better?  Hell No.  Just because the steak isn’t a perfect medium rare doesn’t mean I’ll send it back and order a can of catfood.”

GOP catfood…that sounds about right.

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Here’s some food for thought by way of David Ignatius.

…the larger point is that we truly have a leader who keeps doing the wise thing on policy (assuming you agree with him) but the dumb thing on politics.

Politicians often like to brag about how they aren’t really political animals but public servants. It’s almost a political cliche, to accompany a craven decision with the statement: “I’m not doing this to win votes, but because it’s the right thing to do.”

But Obama is different. He truly doesn’t seem to relish politics, in the raw, mix-it-up sense. Most of all, he isn’t needy for public attention in the way our most neurotic and gifted politicians have been — walking outpatients such as Richard Nixon or Lyndon Johnson or Bill Clinton. He doesn’t like red-hot; he likes cool and deliberative.

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Maybe Obama, the anti-politician, really doesn’t care if he gets reelected, so long as he’s doing what he thinks is right. Somehow, I can’t imagine this breakthrough president stepping aside to write law-review articles. But to stand a chance in 2012, he’s going to need someone to light a fire under him, someone who can play politics fiercely — and also can bring in some new voters.

Surely it’s obvious that I am describing Obama’s second-term masterstroke: Vice President Hillary Rodham Clinton.

What do you think?

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Call me a sentimental fool but I found this touching.

President Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia swung by Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, an independent bookseller in the town of Vineyard Haven.

Plum TV talked to Bunch of Grapes owner Dawn Braasch after the visit. She said “We talked about what books he was reading, books that are coming out. He was very clear that this was for his girls. And we kind of let him shop quietly on his own. But he was just the loveliest person, I felt like I’d known him my whole life….[I was crying] because I adore him and it was such an honor to have him in my bookstore.”

Nice.  With all the idiocy going around it’s easy to forget that there are still many who see in this President the hope and change they yearn for.

UPDATE:

I also found this tweet touching.

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