The White House, presumably stung by criticism following its acknowledgment last week that the president hadn’t presided over a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan in quite a while, today put out a press release trumpeting such a meeting.

The press release is below. And no, it’s not a parody. One might have presumed the president routinely receives updates on the situation in Pakistan and in Afghanistan, and on preparations for the NATO summit. But perhaps not. The fact of this press release makes one wonder if the president, who has after all assured us that “the tide of war is receding,” has totally receded from his duties as commander in chief. Still, I suppose we should be grateful he’s interrupted his campaigning to take the time to personally receive updates on the war (a term nowhere found in the press release) our troops are fighting.