The Detached President

Progressives have been disappointed about the lack of pressure President Barack Obama has placed on Senate Democrats. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told the Washington Post' Ezra Klein that Senate members do not fear opposing the public option.

You make people afraid of opposing you or you get them rewarded for helping you. There's no fear for opposing Obama's public option, and the reward is for opposing it. Right now, Republicans feel no political exposure from opposing the president's health-care initiative.

Talking Points Memo's reporter Brian Beutler asked Sen. Ben Nelson if the Democratic leadership has asked him if he will oppose a Republican-backed filibuster. Nelson said he has had no discussions with leadership about the filibuster.

I asked, "Has leadership been in discussions with you and other moderates about voting with the party on procedural votes?"

In a statement that will bedevil liberals, he responded, "I don't know about others, but not with me."

Where is Harry Reid or Dick Durbin on this? The White House has invested a great deal of political capital in passing health care. Has Obama or Rahn Emanuel spoken with Reid? I am beginning to think Obama is detached.

Obama campaigned on increasing troop presence in Afghanistan. Obama met Gen. Stanley McChrystal when he was appointed. Gen. McChrystal reccommended another 40,000 troops in Afghanistan. The White House stalled on making a decision. Gen. McChrystal gave a speech at the Institute of International and Strategic Studies. Gen. McChrystal used the opportunity to public make his case for more troops. The White House was outraged.

"Ideally, it's better for military advice to come up through the chain of command," National Security Advisor James Jones.

The speech forced Obama to meet with Gen. McChrystal. They talked for 25 minutes on Air Force One. Thomas Ricks was shocked by the short meeting.

If Obama were serious about Afghanistan -- or even if he wants to look serious -- he would have asked McChrystal to fly home with him on Air Force One, and sit and talk for a few hours.

Health care and Afghanisthan both show of pattern of Obama handling pressure by becoming detached. Obama treats problems like they don't exist. To say this is troubling is an understatement.