I fail to see even the slightest trace of crude exploitation here, in a Q and A session at a fundraiser:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you for getting bin Laden.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, there you go. (Applause.) Case in point. (Applause.) It should inspire us to finish what we started. Because of you, we were able to prevent a second Great Depression. But in the next few weeks, in the next few months, the next few years, we have to make sure that the new jobs in industries of our time are created right here in the United States of America. We have to make sure that America is prepared to win the future.
It's pretty obvious he's analogizing the long struggle to capture or kill Osama bin Laden to the long struggle to bring the economy back to health. But even if he weren't, is Obama not allowed to cite this achievement in making an argument for his re-election? Allahpundit is sane on this:
He didn’t bring up Bin Laden himself — an audience member did — but we’re going to be hearing about OBL on the trail from now until election day so we might as well get used to it. And honestly, I don’t begrudge him that.
More to the point, in extended remarks, Obama did not hog the glory:
“And because of the extraordinary bravery of the men and women who wear this nation’s uniform and the outstanding work of our intelligence agencies,’’ Obama said, “Osama bin Laden will never again threaten the United States.’’
The key point in his favor, it seems to me, is not the success of the raid as such, although it seems the commander-in-chief was involved in the minutiae. It was Obama's decision on winning office immediately to reorient the CIA toward getting OBL after tortured lies had persuaded the Bush administration to conclude he was a figurehead and move on. You think a Republican would hesitate for one second to take credit for that?
(Photo: U.S. President Barack Obama hugs Diane Wall, whose husband Glen Wall perished in the twin towers on 9-11, at a wreath laying ceremony at Ground Zero May 5, 2011 in New York City. By Mario Tama/Getty Images.)
The Dish 