Obama has to deal with a still-foundering economy, the looming battle over health-care reform (actually and immediately important to the vast majority of working americans), and a nuked-up, saber-rattling north korea.

yet kristol -- and his salon.com letters analogs, libertyaintfree et al. -- would have him march into tehran and do... what, exactly? this is the part that's not clear to me. tough talk, as others have pointed out, is just that -- talk. it's also got the likely potential to blow up in our faces. more than that, we don't have the resources or the political capital to do right now.

the iraq adventure has made it clear to us and the rest of the world that the u.s. is not capable of going it alone, sealing the deal on an invasion, and following up with a cohesive plan for the post-war scenario. therefore, that option is off the table and everyone knows it. bombing might satisfy the boyish urges of the tin-hat crowd, but it will accomplish worse than nothing in this case (or in any case, probably).

i like what the slate writer suggests: voice support for the people and free and fair elections, along with subtle and not-so-subtle pressure on the mullahs to cut ahmedinajad loose.

Amen to this. The only POSSIBLE explanation for all the foot-dragging is that Obama wants to pass healthcare and institute economic reforms that are sorely needed, all while drawing down from one war, fixing another, and staving off political crises with north korea, iran, etc. In other words, he doesn't want to get Clintoned.

Still, that doesn't excuse going out of his way to support DOMA and insult gays in the process. And all the crises in various arenas are giving him MORE political capital to play with, not less. I feel like we, as a society, have a unique opportunity to really have a dialogue about things like gay marriage and various other rights. It's sad to see states like Iowa leading the way, while our supposedly progressive president runs from the fight.

it's extraordinary to me that this guy's allowed to stay in office. who cares about the affair itself -- that's just human, personal, and understandable -- it's his apparent inability to tell the truth about it that ought to raise major red flags. does no one else find it troubling that a sitting governor LEFT THE FUCKING COUNTRY not only without telling anyone his whereabouts, but actually lying to his own staff about it? and now he admits he was also lying about the "mea culpa" press conference for which he was mostly praised -- because of its supposed openness and honesty?

by the way, i DO live in a state where we're screwed because the governor resigned -- in this case, because he paid for a hooker and lied about it. somehow, that seems like small potatoes next to this clown. now we've got a deadlocked state senate, a highly unpopular, unelected governor, and no lt. governor to break the tie in the senate. i wouldn't wish this on anyone, but fair's fair.

the most troubling aspect of all this to me BY FAR is that this man is clearly lost in life and deeply unhappy. if he were truly honest with himself, his wife and his constituency, he would resign immediately and go live in argentina, working on a fishing boat or building grass huts. he obviously loves this woman and can't stay away from her, no matter what he says.

Wonder what Al's favorite big fat idiot, Rush Limbaugh, will say tomorrow?</>

I'm guessing it will involve the phrases "grab your ankles" and "anal poisoning." but ya know what? who gives a damn.

now, let's get him seated and let's start passing some legislation.

i wrote it before on another thread but it's worth repeating -- and joan, you got it absolutely right. it's really extraordinary that a man who lied about his whereabouts, and then lied in his so-called heartfelt confession about same, is continuing in his role as governor of a state in this country. and this is coming from a person who's currently suffering from the fallout of another governor who "couldn't keep it in his pants" -- i.e. eliot spitzer -- but this breach of conduct strikes me as far worse.

the scariest part of it is this guy seems genuinely unstable. forget midlife crisis -- this is an absolute dark night of the soul. he appears to have lied not only to his wife, his staff, and his constituents, but also his "spiritual adviser," who seems to have held his feet to the fire many times over the years about possible infidelities (creepy in its own right, as the story opens a spooky window on the spiritual "bootcamp" in which sanford participated). and again as you point out, in the end it's all about him.

I wouldn't want this guy cleaning my pool, let alone running my state. he needs serious counseling and time to clear his head and his heart.