When Barack Obama ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, he jokingly referred to himself as a "skinny kid with a funny name." The self-deprecation won him points. As part of his now famous keynote address to the 2004 Democratic Convention, the quip was part of a well-delivered speech that put Obama on the national political map. Through his uncanny ability to inspire and move audiences through words, he made a name for himself across America.
When Sen. Obama ran for the presidency in 2008, however, critics insisted that his pretty words were not enough. The charge resonated most deeply on the subject of national security and the question of whether the young senator could handle the awesome responsibilities of commander in chief. Polls that summer gave John McCain a significant edge against Obama on being a strong leader and showing good judgment during an international crisis. The American people eventually put Obama in the White House, but not without wondering how the new president would fare in the turbulent seas of foreign affairs.
When President Obama stood before West Point cadets last week to deliver an address on U.S. policy in Afghanistan, he put those concerns to rest. Not that he doesn't have critics - he most certainly does. But it is the very existence of those critics and the substance of their criticism that show just how well Obama has grown into the role of commander in chief.
On his left are war-weary Democrats who have legitimate concerns regarding the feasibility and cost of the war in Afghanistan. On his right are Republicans who are determined to undermine his every move, insisting that America's foreign policy should be conducted by a combination of sending more troops, clicking our heels together and hoping everything just works out.
Instead of appeasing the right or the left, Obama did exactly what a responsible president should do. He asked the tough questions, got the facts, and listened to his military and civilian advisors. He honored the service of our men and women in uniform by giving them a clear strategy, and spoke to the American people with dignity and respect by explaining through clear language - not hyperbole - the stakes in Afghanistan.
And while the consequences of his decision will take years to unfold, the content of his decision-making process has made it abundantly clear that President Obama is well-suited to executing the solemn responsibilities of his office. Not bad for a skinny kid with a funny name.
This piece originally appeared in the Peoria Journal Star