First, the most amazing part of this operation--which nobody seems to be talking about--is that it was kept secret. For months. Nobody leaked, not even after a few drinks at the Correspondents dinner.
Michelle didn't know. And, oh yeah, the Pakistanis. (Another thought, not the second one, an ancillary thought, is that evidence that bin Laden was confident in his Pakistani protection was that he was evidently completely surprised by, and unprepared for, the raid.)
Still, think about this. This whole operation could have come to a sudden and ignominious halt if word had leaked, at any point from last August, but especially in the final week. But it didn't. A lot of people deserve credit for various elements of the operation, but this is all President Obama and the people he chose to trust.
The second thing is rhetorical in nature. President Obama scored points with forthright answers, and even if you disagree, he gets points for that comment that people who disapprove of bin Laden being killed "need to have their heads examined." But I detected an unfortunate addition to his rhetoric, and I think I know where it comes from.
President Obama used the word "obviously" about nine times in his interview. Overuse of that word is a characteristic rhetorical tic of Leon Panetta, now CIA chief, soon to be Secretary of Defense. He's had it since his White House days with Clinton, and it was particularly annoying when he was testing the waters for a possible electoral run (for Gov or Senator) from California. Panetta uses the word "obviously" to preface his answers to a truly annoying degree. "Obviously" is always slightly insulting to the questioner. It seems arrogant, although it also seems defensive. Mr. President, stop listening to Leon! Or at least check yourself. You don't want to pick up this bad habit.
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