Obama's Quick Counterterror Thanks

On his way to a $15,200-a-plate Democratic fundraiser at New York's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, President Obama dropped by the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force for a tour and quick speech. The president thanked the force for saving "countless" lives with "the strong intelligence you've gathered and the hard-nosed investigations you've pursued." The president concluded the short speech by noting, "I know all of you are extraordinarily busy and I do not want to draw you away from the work you do." The New York Daily News notes that the same could be said for several high-profile New York dignitaries—both Mayor Bloomberg and New York Governor Paterson are skipping Obama's visit. Like Obama, Bloomberg's got his eye on upcoming elections: "I thought about going, but I think it just, I've got a campaign and I don't want to politicize this." Paterson, whose reelection campaign has made him persona non grata in the Obama administration (which asked him to step aside), said he was busy in Albany. The Joint Terrorism Task Force helmed last month's arrest of alleged terrorist Najibullah Zazi, who they say was planning a terrorist attack on the New York subway system.