Powerline has it – in the form of a 1960 debate question about negotiating with the Soviets, and the responses of Kennedy and Nixon to the question. Read the whole thing, but to bottom line it – neither man was willing to meet with the Soviets without preconditions.
The basics of diplomacy are that the national leaders only meet after the ground has been cleared and there is at least some chance of a final deal being reached at the summit – to just trot over to the enemy and start talking about whatever comes to mind is a formula for disaster, and it bears no relation to the actual use of diplomacy as a means of resolving issues between States.
Obama has far too high a learning curve for us to trust him with the White House – perhaps if he’d go back to Illinois, run for governor and spend some time making real world decisions he is responsible for, that would season him enough to be entrusted with the most powerful office in the world, but as of right now, he’s got no business being President.
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