When it comes to foreign policy — particularly in the Middle East — President Barack Obama has a “manhood problem,” David Brooks said on Sunday morning.
Brooks, a well-known New York Times columnist, appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press to discuss the situation in Ukraine with host David Gregory and several other panelists. Gregory noted that Obama seems to be toning down his foreign policy rhetoric, trying to avoid drawing more ‘red lines.’ Brooks then pointed out that the President has a problem maintaining an image of strength.
“Let’s face it, Obama, whether deservedly or not, does have a — I’ll say it crudely, but a manhood problem in the Middle East,” Brooks said. “Is he tough enough to stand up to somebody like Assad, somebody like Putin? I think a lot of the rap is unfair, but certainly in the Middle East there’s an assumption that he’s not tough enough.”
Fellow panelist Chuck Todd agreed with Brooks, adding that it’s not just external parties who are questioning Obama’s foreign policy strength, but people within the administration as well.
During the discussion on Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression, Brooks also said that Obama is “stepping back” from much of the day-to-day issues in the situation.
