I concur.
This is a critical moment for the country. From the faltering economy to the burdensome deficit to our foreign policy struggles, America is suffering a widespread sense of crisis and anxiety about the future. Under these circumstances, Obama has the opportunity to seize the high ground and the imagination of the nation once again, and to galvanize the public for the hard decisions that must be made. The only way he can do so, though, is by putting national interests ahead of personal or political ones.
To that end, we believe Obama should announce immediately that he will not be a candidate for reelection in 2012.
Obama himself once said to Diane Sawyer: "I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president." He now has the chance to deliver on that idea.
Opinion | One and done: To be a great president, Obama should not seek reelection in 2012
One sunny day in January, 2013 an old man approached the
White House from
across Pennsylvania Avenue, where he'd been sitting on
a park
bench.
He spoke to the U.S. Marine standing guard and said, "I
would like to
go in and meet with President
Obama."
The Marine looked at the man and said,
"Sir, Mr. Obama is no longer
president and no longer resides
here."
The old man
said, "Okay" and walked away.
The following
day, the same man approached the White House and said
to the same Marine,
"I would like to go in and meet with President
Obama."
The Marine again told the man,
"Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Obama
is no longer president and no longer
resides here."
The man thanked him and, again, just
walked away.
The third day, the same
man approached the White House and spoke to
the very same U.S. Marine,
saying "I would like to go in and meet with
President
Obama."
The Marine, understandably agitated
at this point, looked at the man
and said, "Sir, this is the third day in
a row you have been here
asking to see Mr.
Obama.
I've told you already that
Mr. Obama is no longer the president and
no longer resides here.
Don't you understand?"
The old man looked at
the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I
just love hearing
it."
The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and
said, "See you
tomorrow,
Sir."