The Two Faces of Punditry

I’m sorry, but I just don’t get this, to mimic Time's Joe Klein. He's having a conniption fit over President Obama's call for Syrian President Assad to step down. Klein (today): "I’m sorry, but I just don’t get this. It ... reinforces the growing sense that the President can’t get anyone to do what he wants. [He] has only opened the door for further diminution." Klein (if Obama had said nothing): "I’m sorry, but I just don’t get this. There he goes again, leading from behind. Why doesn't Obama show any spine? Assad surely cannot ignore the president of the United States." Now I happen to like Joe. He's an insightful fellow (most of the time). But I'm grateful that he's just a windy pundit ― and not someone charged with running our foreign affairs. That's best left to the adults.