Why Did an Ultra-Narcissist Like Obama Allow Bob Woodward to Write a Book About Him?

Bob Woodward has completed his latest book, Obama's Wars, which is scheduled for release next Monday. The Hill says that despite some controversial passages, it presents a mostly favorable picture of the 44th President's leadership skills. That there were heated discussions over the conduct of the war in Afghanistan should come as no surprise to anyone, and may actually be a good thing: we have seen how groupthink in the Japanese government before and during World War II got an entire nation into trouble. On the other hand, the Washington Post quotes a statement by President Obama that is likely to stir up a firestorm: "We can absorb a terrorist attack. We'll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever . . . we absorbed it and we are stronger." This means we have lowered our expectations from the Bush administration, which took the stand that one terrorist attack was one too many.