A President of the United States commits more ground troops to a foreign war and contemplates sending even more; he backs a position that may hinder the passage of an effective federal shield law for reporters to protect confidential sources; his administration increasingly seems to take the side of obliqueness rather than transparency.

Sounds like a Republican president, doesn’t it? Maybe even the last Republican president?

But in this case we are talking about Barack Obama.

In his less than one year in office, he has transformed from the figure of “hope” he portrayed during the campaign into a figure of possible betrayal to the core values of the liberal wing of the Democratic party that championed his cause and largely propelled him into the White House.

What happened in the past few months is the topic of endless speculation in Washington and elsewhere.

Perhaps it is the normal growing pains any president experiences once assuming office?

But hardly a day goes by when Obama, or someone in his administration, doesn’t evoke howls of agony from previous supporters who now wonder exactly who–or what—they had once supported and voted for?

To say that Obama is turning into a surprise to many would be an understatement.

There are reports today that Obama is secretly trying behind the scenes to rally support for a public option in his health care reform initiative….this after only a lukewarm effort to fight for it despite his repeated insistence that it is the best way to even the playing field with powerful, private insurance companies.

But doing this quietly is not what is needed. Obama needs to the loudest voice advocating his initiative not the most hushed one.

It may be “practical” politics, but only leads to more speculation and angst about the perceived political drifting of the President to some unknown point of the political spectrum.

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