Just two buddies, doing what they can!

President Obama is taking some well-justified heat for telling the "president" of Kazakhstan that, like the Kazahks, Americans are still trying to get our democracy right. (As if to reinforce the point, that's Mr. Nazarbayev sitting in front of the American flag, while Mr. Obama poses in front of  the Kazahk national banner.) To make matters worse, one of the president's aides assured a reporter that yes, indeed, Mr. Obama has taken some "rather historic steps to improve our own democracy since coming to office here in the United States." Perhaps he was referring to passing a health-insurance overall over the opposition of a clear majority of voters?

Max Boot, no great admirer of the Obama foreign policy, argues that we should cut the president some slack in this matter--that any president of good sense will grease the wheels with some mighty unpleasant characters. Maybe so. But it does seem that Mr. Obama is obsessed with making friends with those who stand against us, while dissing those who would stand with us. Blue skies! -- Dan Ford