His Royal Highness Will Be Pleased to Welcome Your Support!

Questions about our military action in Libya, and in particular why President Obama did not seek Congressional support for it, are reverberating around the capital. Congressmen and Senators across the political spectrum are complaining about the administration’s handling of the crisis. In particular, the fact that Obama sought the approval of the United Nations, but not Congress, has made many in the latter institution unhappy.
Of course, President Obama isn’t around to answer those questions; he is in South America. Politico asks, “Did Obama Lose Congress on Libya?” National security adviser Tom Donilon stood in for Obama and tried to explain the administration’s failure to involve Congress. Here is part of what he had to say:

First of all, consultation with Congress is important, as I said. Secondly, the administration welcomes the support of Congress in whatever form that they want to express that support.

So Obama has gone from 1) the President has no authority to undertake military action in these circumstances without prior Congressional approval, to 2) the President–as long as it is Obama–“welcomes the support of Congress in whatever form they want to express that support,” after the fact. The arrogant presumption of the Obama administration never ceases to amaze.

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