THE PANNING CONTINUES – QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 10:54 A.M. ET:   Rarely have I seen a foreign-policy speech by an American president panned as universally as has been Obama's speech earlier this week at West Point.   Superb British commentator Nile Gardiner now weighs in with that typically British zest, and gives us our quote of the day.  From The Hill: 

The president's West Point speech was short on policy but big on grandiose platitudes and self-congratulatory statements that will do nothing to reassure America's allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It was a distinctly lightweight address on issues of tremendous gravity, with a direct impact on U.S. interests. From Tokyo to London, America's partners are looking to Washington for leadership, but getting feel-good Twitter sound bites instead.

Obama came across as the anti-Reagan, a figure content to lead from behind rather than project confident, assertive U.S. leadership — hardly the right signal to send to America's increasingly emboldened enemies and strategic competitors. President Reagan understood the importance of building America's defenses, squaring up to America's foes, and standing with friends and allies. Obama has had every opportunity to learn from Reagan's success, but has sadly chosen instead to pursue a path of American decline and disengagement from the world.

COMMENT:  An absolutely accurate portrayal of foreign policy under Obama.  He's Jimmy Carter all over again.  And, I think, Americans are starting to sense it.  Sadly, Obama still has a base of support on the left that thinks his foreign policy is just fine, in part because the left applauds American decline.  After all, isn't America the real problem?  I'm afraid Obama's views fit very well with those of his base, a base he helped create.

May 30, 2014