Wooing the World

Jennifer Rubin, in Commentary, reacts to Obama’s UN address:

Obama plainly embodies [the] mindset of liberal elites. America is flawed. America has no distinct message or values, and its interests are entitled to no more weight than Belgium’s or Cuba’s. It’s wrongheaded to assert our national interests. We should be seeking consensus and righting the great wrongs that America has done to other nations—both its stinginess in redistributing wealth and its failure to cater to other nations’ geopolitical and psychological concerns. Russia needs reassuring. The Arabs need validation. And it’s the president’s job to lower America’s profile so as to not incur the wrath of hostile powers.

Rubin, to me, provides a fair characterization of Obama’s views, but omits some perspective. Obama sees himself astride the divide between America and the rest of the world, 80% “of color.” He’s the U.S. president. He won the election. He doesn’t have to win Americans over. Furthermore, we are on top. It’s the others—Russians, Arabs, Iranians, Third Worlders—who need wooing. Fellow Americans, just let Obama do his wooing job. He knows what he’s up to.

Rubin misses the method to Obama’s madness. Obama will win friends alienated by Bush’s intervention in Iraq. But it is madness to think that thugs like Russia’s Putin, Iran’s Ahmadinejad, or the leaders of Hamas are going to be won over by Obama sweet talk. If anything, they are more responsive to signs that Obama has a spine of steel. You can speak softly if you are willing to use a big stick. Is Obama willing (see Afghanistan)?

Also, as Rubin says, Obama maybe should pay more attention to the millions of Americans alienated by the president’s pandering to foreign prejudices about our country. Obama did win 53% of the popular vote. But many of those who voted for Obama, especially independents, went for someone who promised economic change. They may not like seeing America bowing to foreign despots [picture; click to enlarge].