Netanyahu Gives Obama a Backbone Lesson on National Television

COMMENTARY | A year after his humiliating treatment by President Barack Obama in 2010, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to the White House to teach Obama a lesson in what it's like to have a backbone.

In the much anticipated face-to-face between the two world leaders following Obama's Thursday abandonment of Tuesday's promise to Israel of "unshakable support and commitment," it was Obama who looked shaken. Through stiff body language and a hand half shielding the tension on his face it was painfully evident that Obama did not anticipate such a sound rebuking by Netanyahu for repeated efforts to weaken his country.

Emerging a half-hour late from their private meeting, Obama began the joint news conference with Netanyahu by back-peddling on many of the statements he made in his Thursday speech and attempting a graceless dance around others. With the demeanor similar to a puppy who had just been soundly chastised for getting all "wee-weed up" on the new Oval Room carpet, Obama uncomfortably wove his eight-minute rambling commentary together with the word "um" a total of 135 times. Appearing clearly more confident yet with an apparent effort to choose his words carefully, Netanyahu spoke for the same amount of time yet used the "um" crutch only 15 times.

Unlike Obama's flaccid border security efforts, which put American lives in danger, Netanyahu said that as the leader of Israel it falls on his shoulders to protect the security of his people through firm defense of national borders. "I take this responsibility with pride and great humility," the Israeli Prime Minister said.

While assuming an awkwardly motionless, yet best presidential pensive pose, Obama could do little more than listen as Netanyahu reiterated statements made previously to the U.S. President in past negotiations that no, we are not going to allow Palestinians to settle on Israeli land, no we are not going to return our borders to indefensible 1967 lines and no we are not going to negotiate with the officially recognized terrorist organization otherwise known as Hamas. In further evidence of Obama's discomfort in having been spanked on national television was the president's quick dismissal of the press at the end of Netanyahu's courteous reprimand without a smile or so much as a by-your-leave.

I am certain that the time following such an important news conference between these two world leaders, which would normally be set aside for a question and answer period, is now being spent by Obama's speech writers to scribble out and download to his teleprompter a cogent (and "um"-less) explanation for this day's unscripted and embarrassing performance.

Sources:

Giles Whittell, Washington and James Hider, Jerusalem, "Binyamin Netanyahu humiliated after Barack Obama 'dumped him for dinner'", The Sunday Times

Patricia Campion, "Obama Backpedals on Israel Support, Could Further Compromise Reelection", Associated Content

Patrick Gavin, "Washingtonians get 'wee-weed up'?", Politico

Cindy Saine, "Congressional Panel Questions Security of US Border With Mexico", Voice of America.com

"'We can't go back': Israeli PM rejects 1967 border proposal", MSNBC