re: Enemy Camp [Kathryn Jean Lopez] 
 
 
 
 An e-mail: 
 
 Kathryn— 
 
 
 
 
 
 As a 1990 graduate of West Point, I can tell you that Chris Matthews is 180-degrees off about West Point being an "enemy camp." Instead, it is probably the most polite audience in America, with the courtesy being enforced if necessary. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Whether out of professionalism (the vast majority of cadets) or fear of punishment (the rest of them), the Corps of Cadets would never be disrespectful to the Commander-in-Chief. In fact, West Point may be the only place in America where President Obama can simultaneously trash George W. Bush and announce an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan and not be booed from the right or the left. 
 
 
 
 ||||| All he meant, I take it, is that the current commander-in-chief might not be Mr. Popularity among the presumably hawkish, right-leaning majority of cadets. But when your mouth is bigger than your brain, this is what happens. Twitter’s already buzzing about it so have at it. Exit question: How soon before the public apology? Middle segment on tomorrow night’s “Hardball”? Opening segment? Or does he take to the airwaves tomorrow morning and do the deed on “Morning Joe”?
– The conservative blogosphere was quick to jump on Chris Matthews’ statement on MSNBC that President Obama went “to the enemy camp” for his Afghanistan speech—indeed, an odd way to characterize the US Military Academy’s reception for the Commander in Chief. “When your mouth is bigger than your brain, this is what happens,” sighs Allahpundit. Tweets Meghan McCain: “My head is going to explode. Those men and women keep you safe jackass!” At the National Review, Kathryn Jean Lopez relays this email from a reader and West Point grad: “Chris Matthews is 180-degrees off about West Point being an ‘enemy camp.’ Instead, it is probably the most polite audience in America, with the courtesy being enforced if necessary. … In fact, West Point may be the only place in America where President Obama can simultaneously trash George W. Bush and announce an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan and not be booed from the right or the left.”