President 1, Pundit 0

This is pretty good pushback from this afternoon's White House press conference between President Obama when called on by NBC News' Chuck Todd:

TODD: You have avoided, twice, spelling out consequences. You've hinted that there would be from the international community, if they continue to violate -- and you said "violate these norms." You seemed to hint that there -- there are human rights violations taking place.

OBAMA: I'm not hinting. I think that when a young woman gets shot on the street when she gets out of her car, that's a problem.

TODD: Then why won't you spell out the consequences that the Iranian people...

OBAMA: Because I think that we don't know yet how this thing is going to play out. I know everybody here is on a 24-hour news cycle. I'm not.

Ouch. That may leave a mark. It must be all that liberal media love that gets hyped.

The Washington Monthly adds:

"What Todd wants to hear is Obama as a Pundit in Chief, pontificating about possible consequences for possible outcomes, addressing an international situation that's still unfolding at this very minute. The president knows better, and it was a genuine treat to hear him smack down the entire approach."

Pundits and bloggers get to spout out whatever they want, all the time. Obama's leadership, and his strength, is his confidence and his ability to correctly judge developing trends. Every time he has exceeded the challenges with reassuring calm. No knee jerk reactionary responses a la someone like "I'll Suspend My Campaign" McCain.

Source: Washington Monthly