“Leave Ted Alooooone!!”

President Obama in the Philippines on Tuesday:

I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric that’s been coming out of here during the course of this debate. ISIL seeks to exploit the idea that there is a war between Islam and the West. And when you start seeing individuals in positions of responsibility, suggesting that Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims are in a war-torn land, that feeds the ISIL narrative. It’s counterproductive, and it needs to stop.

And I would add, by the way, these are the same folks oftentimes who suggest that they’re so tough that just talking to Putin or staring down ISIL, or using some additional rhetoric somehow is going to solve the problems out there. But apparently, they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion. First, they were worried about the press being too tough on them during debates. Now they’re worried about three-year-old orphans. That doesn’t sound very tough to me.

Senator Ted Cruz (R) on the campaign trail on Wednesday:

“Let me suggest something Mr President, if you want to insult me, you can do it overseas. You can do it in Turkey. You can do it in foreign countries,” Cruz told reporters. “But I would encourage you, Mr. President, come back and insult me to my face.”

First a map:

Then a reminder:

Sadly, President Obama is unlikely to want to give free press to one of the single-digit-polling Republican presidential wannabees … because a Barack Obama v Ted Cruz debate would be great theatre.