Being President of the United States means holding a number of widely different leadership positions: Head of State, leader of the nation, mourner and celebrator on occasions of national emotion, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, head of one's political party and, of primary importance, chief of the Executive Branch of government--all the agencies and departments.

A good and effective executive supports the staff. "Has their backs," as President Obama frequently says.

A month ago, information came to light--spotty and misinterpreted--that the IRS office charged with vetting applications for not-for-profit status had given intensive scrutiny to organizations with "Tea Party" in their names. The information came from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, chaired by Darrel Issa of California. Within a day of the beginning of media attention to this charge, President Obama was on television condemning the activity.

I just finished speaking with Secretary Lew and senior officials at the Treasury Department to discuss the investigation into IRS personnel who improperly screened conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status....
I've reviewed the Treasury Department watchdog's report, and the misconduct that it uncovered is inexcusable. It's inexcusable, and Americans are right to be angry about it, and I am angry about it. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in any agency, but especially in the IRS, given the power that it has and the reach that it has into all of our lives.

The notion of Tea Party groups seeking to incorporate as non-political social welfare organizations, and have the rest of us support their activities with our taxes, is immediately suspect. It has since been revealed that the initial information came from a report that was specifically limited to investigate only those actions of the IRS that involved conservative groups, by direction of Rep. Issa. A phone call from the White House to Cincinnati would have elicited the information that extra scrutiny was given progressive organizations as well, and that local management (there is just the one IRS center that handles tax-exempt status requests) approved the targeting, as part of an attempt to move a massive inflow of applications.

Obama either knew these details or could have learned them easily. Instead of vilifying the IRS he could have called for clarification or waited for additional information. But he threw the IRS under the bus in the face of pressure from Rep. Issa and Fox News. It was clearly done for political reasons, and was craven.

Dave Sagarin (June 28, 2013)