The Value of Nuance

I did not watch the debate of the Republican candidates for president last night, but from the excerpts I saw and what I read in the newspaper this morning it would appear that all seven devoted the better part of their time to bashing President Obama for his supposed failures. They did not, I gather, mention, that the President has failed mostly thus far in attempting to fix the damage their own policies caused. Even today, the economic policy they propose seems to advocate mainly a return to those failed policies, with the conviction that what failed before will succeed the next time around. Their tired--and tiresome--mantra: lower taxes for all, most especially for the rich and for record profit-making businesses; and smaller government.

I did watch the Ann Curry interview with President Obama this morning, and was impressed, as always, by his fair, thoughtful, balanced responses to her questions. The response on whether Rep. Anthony Weiner should resign was pure Obama--fair, carefully nuanced, rational. Unlike those who have been busy throwing stones at Weiner in their own glass House of Representatives, the President first, and correctly, answered that this was a matter between Weiner and those who elected him. The "If it were me..." addition concentrated less on the moral issues than on the question of public service. If his ability to serve were compromised, he said--of himself--he would choose to step down.

I like the absence of the "should." The President's answer left the responsibility where it properly belongs: with the Congressman and his constituents. He did not, notably, in any way excuse Weiner's actions, but neither did use his own moral condemnation as the righteous standard for another man to follow. Instead, he made it unequivocally clear how he himself would handle that responsibility, upholding his own ethical standards while not imposing them on others. The subtlety of this distinction may well be where he gets into trouble with those whose ears are desensitized to nuance: to them, perhaps, it sounds more like an abdication of responsibility. It's not. It's a respect for the freedom and responsibility of others, including Weiner--and, more importantly, the people the congressman was elected to serve.

"Vote Obama 2012" continues to solicit opinions from others. I know that there are many voters out there who think, as I do, that this President has done a remarkable job in starting to address the mess that he was left with. As he himself concedes in every possible occasion, it's not good enough; there is still much work to do. To return to the demonstrably warped and counter-productive policies of the past is not a serious option. Please consider adding your voice to mine if you agree.