WHY OBAMA GOT "TOUGH" WITH IRAN - AT 8:35 A.M. ET:  Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion once said that Golda Meir was the best man in his Cabinet.  Obama might soon have to say the same about Hillary Clinton, if today's story in the Washington Times is accurate:

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged President Obama for two days to toughen his language on Iran before he did so, and then was surprised when he condemned Iran's crackdown on demonstrators last week, administration officials say.

At his June 23 news conference, Mr. Obama said he was "appalled and outraged" by Iranian behavior and "strongly condemned" the violence against anti-government demonstrators. Up until then, Mr. Obama and other administration officials had taken a softer line, expressing "deep concern" about the situation and calling on Iran to "respect the dignity of its own people."

Behind the scenes, the officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they were discussing internal deliberations, said Mrs. Clinton had been advocating the stronger U.S. response, but the president resisted. When he finally took her advice, the aides said, he did so without informing her first.

COMMENT:  There may be some Clinton camp spin here, but the story appears to echo some other reporting.  Hillary, despite her many deficiencies, has a clearer head on foreign policy than does Obama, and a certain toughness, although she has been blind on Honduras (or just taking orders).

The fact that Obama blindsided Clinton when he decided to follow her advice, yet not alert her to his decision, doesn't surprise me.  It's the way Obama treats people.  He certainly wasn't going to acknowledge a major shift in tone and give someone else credit.  Obama, even when eloquent, lacks graciousness.  He wouldn't even acknowledge President Bush's contribution to victory in Iraq.  Make no mistake about it:  This administration is about The One. And with Michelle now making her well-publicized move toward greater power, it will be about The One and The Other One.

July 1, 2009