April 19, 2015 --

President Obama invited New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman to the White House, April 4, to explain his view of negotating with Iran. Friedman reported on the meeting, in his April 6th Times column. Friedman related the president's belief that diplomacy can make the world secure against an Iran nuclear threat. The columnist also reported the president's insistence "on preserving the presidential prerogative to enter into binding agreements with foreign powers without congressional approval." (A different view is suggested in Federalist Paper No. 75, attributed to Alexander Hamilton. Apparently Friedman did not call No. 75 to the president's attention.)

LPR was struck by Friedman's account of what the columnist called the president's "distress at being depicted in Israel and among American Jews as somehow anti-Israel when his views on peace are shared by many center-left Israelis and his administration has been acknowledged by Israeli officials to have been as vigorous as any in maintaining Israel's strategic edge."

The words in this quote from Friedman -- "when his views on peace are shared by many center-left Israelis" -- say it all, about the president's approach to Israelis, to Americans, to people in general. President Obama has no interest in anyone who does not share his leftist political outlook. He welcomes into his fold all who agree with him politically -- and will dominate all others.

LPR wonders whether a report, April 13, that Isaac Herzog, leader of the Israeli left's Zionist Union, joined the governing coalition in opposing a nuclear-armed Iran, will convince President Obama that all Israelis politicians -- even on the left -- disrespect him.