Stanley Kurtz asks if Obama’s speech “has at least the potential to significantly influence the course of the entire campaign.” JPod is skeptical.
It’s possible that we may look back on the speech as a key moment that changed the Democratic primary, but not just the Pakistan line… I think Obama really shot himself in the foot with this speech, if for no other reason than it gives Hillary a chance to attack him from the left — “Attack targets in Pakistan? What, another unilateral preemptive military action in a Muslim country without approval from the UN?” — and the right — “What, Midnight Basketball for rural Pakistan? A bunch of “America Houses” in Muslim cities to provide terrorists easy targets? How naive and foolish can you be?” — as needed from here on out.
I think the speech also indicates that Team Obama worries they lost the debate on the question of meeting with dictators.