http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/weekinreview/24stolberg.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaperNuance Is Fine Until It’s a Flip-Flop
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: May 23, 2009
Washington — “Now, some have suggested that this represents a reversal on my part,” President Obama declared last week in the soaring rotunda of the National Archives, a snippet of self-defense tucked into a far-reaching philosophical address on terrorism and the rule of law. “They should look at the record.”
Mr. Obama was speaking, in particular, of his decision to revive George W. Bush’s practice of trying terrorism suspects in military commissions. True, Mr. Obama said, he fought Mr. Bush on the commissions. But, he went on, he had always said that with reforms he would support them. With “meaningful due process” — limiting hearsay evidence, giving suspects greater latitude in picking their lawyers — the president asserted, “my administration is bringing our commissions in line with the rule of law.” In short, Mr. Obama argued, what seemed like a reversal wasn’t a reversal at all.
It was the kind of careful, nuanced argument that is a hallmark of Mr. Obama’s communications style — a methodical laying-out of the facts by a president who seems convinced that if he simply explains himself to the American people, they will surely understand his position and forgive him for changing, or seeming to change, his mind.
It is a tactic Mr. Obama has employed repeatedly as president, as he has recalibrated his approach to positions on any number of issues. He told Planned Parenthood that his first act as president would be to sign an abortion rights bill into law; now he says it is “not my highest legislative priority.” He promised gay rights advocates that he would work for the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but he has pushed action into the future. A proponent of transparency, he released previously classified memos describing the C.I.A.’s harsh interrogation techniques. But then he moved to block the release of photos showing abuse of detainees — a 180-degree turn from his administration’s previous position.
On all these fronts, Mr. Obama and his aides have offered detailed explanations of the factors that shape his decision-making. So far, the public seems on board. But in a sound-bite culture, there are limits to how much nuance the public can absorb.
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