‘How about a smile?’

‘HOW ABOUT A SMILE?’…. I’ve seen all kinds of conservative responses to the killing of Osama bin Laden over the last 15 hours, but only one literally made me laugh out loud.

Sarah Posner flags this remarkable item from David Brody, the chief political correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network, created by radical TV preacher Pat Robertson. Brody wrote:

I know President Obama understands that getting Bin Laden doesn’t mean an end to the war on terrorism but how about a smile? How about showing a little joy? How about a word or two saying something about how this is no doubt a happy or joyous occasion for Americans? We got nothing like that at all. Instead, we got Mr. Monotone. Mr. Bars and Tone. Mr. Non-Emotion. President Obama missed an opportunity to connect with Americans last night.

So why did he announce the big news like he was reading the dictionary? You know the answer. It’s because his speech wasn’t so much aimed at Americans. He was being careful of how the “Arab Street” would interpret his remarks. Any hint of gloating or happiness might be rubbing it in the face of some of the crazies in the Arab World and heaven forbid we get them upset! How dare we Americans look like we’re celebrating his death! The travesty of it all!

Give me a break. Isn’t it time to stop catering to thugs?

I swear this isn’t satire. Brody thinks, by killing Osama bin Laden, and then not smiling about it during a speech, the president was “catering to thugs.”

Anyone hoping for a more sensible, more mature discourse about the president and national security going forward is likely to be disappointed.