Boy, it's nice to see America so happy. This country has been in bad need of a hug for a long time and the killing of Osama Bin Laden seems to be it, at least in some quarters. I guess I'd be a better person if I never felt joy at anyone's death…but I'm not that good and if anyone deserved it, it's Bin Laden. Part of me is also glad they didn't take him alive, thereby leading to endless arguments about how to give him a fair trial and what nation has jurisdiction, etc.
I tweeted, "I can't wait to hear Rush Limbaugh explain tomorrow how killing Bin Laden is the worst possible thing that could happen to Obama." If Rush doesn't, someone else will. My guess is most Obama foes won't dare go much farther than to minimize his role and accuse him of taking even the tiniest bow for the accomplishment of our military. I never thought it was a failing of George W. Bush that this didn't happen on his watch but if it had been President Gore who didn't catch him, the right-wing crowd would have chanted every day that the Chief Exec was a failure. That is, if they hadn't already impeached him for reading My Pet Goat or ignoring the "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in America" memo.
(In case the above isn't clear: I don't think anyone should be politicizing this kind of thing. I'm criticizing those on both sides who are sitting around tonight, trying to figure out how to use this to electoral advantage.)
The timing is fascinating. Today is eight years since Bush gave that speech with the "Mission Accomplished" banner…and I just heard Brian Williams say that May 1 was the date when the death of Hitler became official. It's also kind of funny that Obama's announcement preempted Mr. Trump's Celebrity Apprentice in some time zones.
Getting back to the elections for a second: As I keep saying here, I think it's foolish that people are trying to handicap the 2012 Presidential Election now, this far ahead of the day we go to the polls. Article after article reminds us that this far ahead of previous votes, Joe Lieberman looked like he had the inside track on the White House…or Rudy Giuliani or any number of other folks who never got too close to their party's nomination, let alone the presidency. People hear that, acknowledge the basic truth…and then turn around and say, "Yes, but Obama's only three points ahead of Mike Huckabee in Kentucky." Like that means anything right now.
These discussions always seem based on the premise that nothing can happen between now and Election Day that will change anything — no revelation, no candidate gaffe, no change in the economy, no statement in the debates, no natural disaster, no military action…nothing. And now here we are with an event that changes something. I don't know what it changes but one of the reasons those folks are dancing in flash mobs on MSNBC right now is that something has changed. Maybe it's just that a dark cloud has been lifted but that's something and it should lead to other somethings, hopefully good but maybe some bad. Right now, the mood of this country is so down that any change is likely to be good in some regard. Here's hoping we look back on 5/1/11 and regard it as a day of healing and renewal.