Obama to Palin: Sit down and shut up

Recently Palin appeared on Sean Hannity's show criticizing Obama's nuclear "strategy." The "strategy" being the controversial practice of telling the world that we won't use nuclear weapons on countries that sign a worthless piece of paper, or on countries who don't have that technology. Palin compared it to kids playing in a schoolyard and telling a bully that if he punches you in the face you won't punch him back.

The problem with the strategy, as Palin notes, is the fact that you're telling your enemies what you're going to do in response to being attacked. This makes us less safe and doesn't protect us. We have to keep our enemies guessing. We may or may not use certain technologies, and we may or may not use them to a certain degree - but we have the option to do whatever we choose. Telling our enemies (and we do have enemies) exactly how we will respond to a direct threat from them is very troubling.

Obama was on Good Morning America this morning interviewed by George Stephanopoulos and Stephanopoulos asked Obama about Palin's criticism. Guess what Obama's response was? A very arrogant, dripping with smugness: "Last I checked, Sarah Palin's not much of an expert on nuclear issues." Interesting response, Obama. I guess he thinks Americans are so stupid that we wouldn't notice that he didn't answer the question. He also brings attention to his own lack of experience in nuclear issues. Tell me your experience Mr. President, please. That should have been Stephanopoulos' next question. Sarah Palin's experience is not the issue. The issue is his dangerous and stupid nuclear strategy that leaves the US and our allies less safe. The issue is bullying our ally Israel into signing a worthless document that will make them less safe in the face of serious legitimate threats. If you take away Palin and listen to her argument on its own, it's a serious counter-point to Obama's strategy and it deserves a response. Obama is telling Americans: "Palin doesn't deserve a response. People who don't have nuclear experience don't deserve a response. People who hold Palin's same views on the subject don't deserve a response." I'm glad this is what my President thinks of Americans.

For the record, Palin does have nuclear experience, way more than Obama did when he was elected President. Palin was Governor of Alaska and there is a nuclear defense facility there. Also she was in charge of the Alaska National Guard - so Obama was wrong.

Here is the Smugness-in-Chief, if you have the stomach: