Obama criticized for politicizing Osama bin Laden kill...

"Why can't I just eat my waffle spike the football on my Osama kill (again)?"

Clint Bruce, who gave up the chance of an NFL career to serve as a SEAL officer before retiring as a lieutenant after nine years, said: ‘We were extremely surprised and discouraged by the publicity because it compromises the ability of those guys to operate.‘It’s a waste of time to speculate about who would and wouldn’t have made that decision. It was a symphony of opportunity and intelligence that allowed this administration to give the green light. We want to acknowledge that they made that decision.‘Politicians should let the public know where they stand on national security but not in the play-by-play, detailed way that has been done recently. The intricacies of national security should not become part of stump speeches.’

I give the President credit for getting Osama bin Laden.  Good for him in making the right call.  And had it not worked out, I would not have criticized him for trying.  I do not want to discourage president's taking risks like that.

But I cannot imagine any president not making the same call given the circumstances (even Jimmy Carter would have done it).  Trying to use this to attack Mitt Romney, especially given it is a lie what Team Obama is saying, reflects badly on Barack Obama's character.  Phineas at Sister Toldjah argues it diminishes the office (I would rather say it diminishes the officer holder).  As the Virginian notes, when you score a touch down you are supposed to act like it is not the first time you did that.

Flying to Afghanistan just to spike the football  on the anniversary of the Obama kill is so transparent I am not sure why they think it would work.  It may be counter-intuitive to Alexrod, but some humility and grace in praising the Seal Team and President Bush would have probably benefited Barack Obama's reelection efforts far more than this nonsense.  A visit to the ground zero memorial (perhaps even inviting President Bush and some wounded warriors to join him) would have been classy.

Update:

h/t:  The Campaign Spot

Update II:   14,000 miles for a brief visit missing one crucial word...

Update III:  Obama does the Funky Chicken...  h/t:  Trooper York.  Here are some more...