Like ordinary folks, presidents of the United States are known by the company they keep. It is a test of their character. Often it shapes their policies. And, in the case of Barack Obama, it may blight his legacy and our nation’s security interests.
Until now, one of the most egregious examples of the problem were the “Friends of Bill” who played prominent roles in William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency. Those folks included a mix of unsavory political operatives, Chinese agents and convicted felons. [Their overnight stays in the Lincoln bedroom, legally challenged fundraising and eleventh-hour pardons raised serious questions not just about President Clinton’s ethics, but his judgment.]