Obama's Disrespect 

Here's another example of "who" I think Barack Obama is. When Obama quickly reversed course and decided to seek congressional approval to strike the Assad regime in Syria for its use of chemical weapons, the most significant political support he received was from Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

I didn't agree with their quick decision to stand with Obama. I assumed they were operating under the premise that when it comes to matters of America's national security, politics ends at the water's edge. But for Obama, politics never stops. 

Few other top congressional leaders spoke up. Then Obama changed course again, announcing that he would negotiate with Vladimir Putin and let Russia take the lead in the Middle East. Then he called off the vote in Congress. 

Insiders say that even after Boehner and Cantor went out on a limb to support the president, Obama did not give them the courtesy of a phone call offering a heads-up on the possible deal with Putin. In every administration prior to this one -- whether Republican or Democrat -- no president would have treated the leaders of the opposite party so disrespectfully. 

If Boehner and Cantor had any doubts, I hope they now understand that Obama is not their friend, no matter how much goodwill they demonstrate or how many rounds of golf they play together. 

Outrage of the Week 

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held more hearings on Benghazi yesterday, and the parents of the murdered Americans were there. They sat patiently through seven hours of testimony before they addressed the committee. 

When it came time for Patricia Smith (the mother of Sean Smith) and Charles Woods (the father of Ty Woods) to speak, only two Democrats bothered to show up to hear their pleas for the truth of what happened to their sons. 

Every Democrat who had something "better to do" than listen to these grieving parents should be ashamed. These families' sons paid the ultimate price in service to their country. They deserved better than that. America deserves better too. 

DeLay Acquitted 

Yesterday a Texas court of appeals fully acquitted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) of all charges stemming from a 2005 corruption investigation. DeLay is a friend, and he was also one of the right's most effective leaders. 

What made Tom DeLay so effective was that he knew how to play hardball, and that's why the left was so desperate to get rid of him. But DeLay's case also marked a disturbing turning point in America when the left essentially criminalized politics. Tom DeLay was the victim of a hyper-partisan prosecutor who went through multiple grand juries before he was able to get an indictment. 

In 2005, DeLay was slapped with criminal conspiracy charges related to alleged violations of campaign finance laws. It took six years for the prosecutors to try and convict Tom. That should tell you something. In 2011, he was sentenced to three years in jail but remained out on bail while he appealed his case. 

Thankfully, he has now been cleared of all charges. The appeals court judges found that the evidence was "legally insufficient to sustain DeLay's convictions," adding, "Rather than supporting an agreement to violate the election code, the evidence shows that the defendants were attempting to comply with the Election Code limitations on corporate contributions." 

President Pence? 

We're still three years and one major election away from the 2016 presidential contest, but there is already a lot of speculation about possible contenders. From Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden on the left to Ted Cruz and Rand Paul on the right, it's difficult to recall an election generating so much interest so far in advance. 

Let me throw another name into the mix: Indiana Governor Mike Pence. A new poll finds Governor Pence has a 60% approval rating, and just 23% of Indiana residents disapprove of his job performance. These high marks come after tough battles with state Democrats and even some GOP leaders. And folks in Washington are taking notice. I've seen Pence's name come up in a number of recent columns, including a Washington Post column listing the top 10 contenders for 2016. 

At this stage, Pence would be a dark horse candidate. You can read more about Gov. Pence here. 

Join Me In D.C.! 

Join me at the 2013 Values Voter Summit, in Washington, D.C., October 11th - 13th. 

The Values Voter Summit is sponsored by American Values, the Family Research Council, AFA Action, Heritage Foundation, and Liberty Counsel. 

This year's Summit features an incredible line up of speakers, including: 
 

• Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) 
• Dr. Ben Carson 
• Lt. Gen. William Boykin (Ret.) 
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 
• Former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) 
• Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) 
• Rep. Steve King (R-IA) 
• Former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese 
• Star Parker 
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) 
• Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) 
• 2012 Vice Presidential Nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) 
• Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) 
• Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) 
• Columnist Cal Thomas 
• Former Rep. Allen West 
• And many more outstanding conservative leaders!

There will be educational sessions on a broad range of topics including: the threat to religious liberty, radical Islam, restraining Big Government and responding to the left. 

American Values will host a special luncheon on Saturday, October 12th. (To attend the luncheon, you must purchase a separate ticket.) Later that evening, there will be a gala dinner honoring Dr. Ed Feulner, founder of the Heritage Foundation. 

To learn more or to register online, click here now. I look forward to seeing you there!