Tipsheet

Ugh: Obama for America Purchases "GutsyCall.com"

Remind us, Mr. President; what were you saying about not "spiking the football," again? (Via National Journal's Reid Wilson):


@HotlineReid New owners of GutsyCall.com: Obama for America.



In truth, President Obama's decision to order a high risk, boots-on-the-ground, unilateral raid on bin Laden's compound without Pakistan's knowledge was a gutsy call.  Many of us have spent the last four days unabashedly applauding him for his decision.  But a leader who makes a tough decision shouldn't have to immediately turn around and remind everyone just how brave he is.  This self-serving, almost immediate braggadocio diminishes both the leader himself and, to a much lesser extent, his accomplishment.  It's just breathtakingly tacky, especially in a moment of relative national unity.

There is a chance that (a) Wilson was misinformed, and some idiot Obama fanatic decided to buy the domain and redirect the link over to OFA's site, or (b) this is OFA's doing, but the president had no idea what they were up to.  The former possibility would be excusable -- no politician can control how some ad hoc supporter behaves.  The latter, however, would be inexcusable.  Even if the president had no direct knowledge of this, he never did much to tamp down his own messianic rhetoric in 2008, nor did he indicate much of a propensity toward humility.  Within that limited context, who could blame his political organization for simply...doing what they do: Glorifying Barack Obama.

If it's somehow option (c) -- and President Obama knew of and approved this little maneuver -- I think its inherent arrogance and cringe-inducing self regard will backfire in a big way.  I've put a call into OFA seeking to confirm whether or not they are, in fact, the very proud new owners of GutsyCall.com