Presidential

Bad news in the Senate today, as General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker delivered lousy Iraq news to the Senate committee: no exit.

The somewhat historical event happening in simultaneity and symbiosis with their testimony was that for the first time in decades or possibly centuries or ever, all three Presidential hopefuls were there to question the witnesses.

Per Kevin Drum:

Obama was able to hit Petraeus and Crocker very hard....He got Petraeus to agree with him that the total elimination of Al Qaeda is an impossible standard for withdrawal. Next he goes after Crocker's points about Iranian influence, pointing out that both Iran and Al Qaeda are in Iraq because we invaded and that we can not expect to eliminate Iranian involvement.

Then came the hammer. Obama pointed out that if the definition of success is put so high - no Al Qaeda, no Iranian influence, a prosperous diverse democracy we will be there forever. He then points out that we still, after 8 hours of testimony, have no definition of success....Crocker's weak response its "hard and complicated."

Watch it in these two parts, thanks to TPM, and tell me if you don't see our next President. Tell me if you don't think Petraeus and Crocker are realizing it talking to him.





What's interesting is his term, "end point", entering it into our political lexicon as he worked immediately towards the definition of a solution set by engaging these two patriotic but trapped men. He's the only one offering the beginning of a map, a legit way out, with expert stakeholders.

I'd say Sen. Clinton came off smart but tired, and I mean some of that in an existential way. This was a grim hearing, you feel it in Obama as well, but while she's laser-sharp in pointing to problems, I don't get the sense of her ability to move as immediately focused as Sen. Obama on constructing the solutions, or at least taking that project on right from his first question.





And then there's Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, although I'm starting to see a path where he doesn't make it to or through the Convention...



"Choose to win" given the facts of this particular conflict reminds me of how it used to be thought that homosexual people chose their sexuality, and could just as easily choose it back.

Just like choosing who's Shiite and who's Sunni.