I got a few e-mails suggesting that Barack Obama’s failure to address the 68th anniversary of D-Day qualified as an OOTD. Not every anniversary gets a presidential address, however, although a statement on the holiday honoring the heroes of the event is usually de rigueur.  The White House did post such a statement yesterday, along with video of Barack Obama’s speech on the 65th anniversary of the greatest amphibious invasion in history, honoring those heroes of the war that liberated western Europe from the grip of a murderous tyranny.

Last week, though, Obama insulted the hero of the movement that helped free eastern Europe from the grip of a murderous tyranny:

According to the Wall Street Journal, Polish officials requested that Walesa accept the Medal of Freedom on behalf of Jan Karski, a member of the Polish Underground during World War II who was being honored posthumously this week. The request makes sense. Walesa and Karski shared a burning desire to rid Poland of tyrannical subjugation. But President Obama said no.

Administration officials told the Journal that Walesa is too “political.” A man who was arrested by Soviet officials for dissenting against the government for being “political” is being shunned by the United States of America for the same reason 30 years later.

Obama apparently doesn’t like bestowing awards on people who are “too political” … unless he likes the politics, in which case Obama shows solidarity:

Meanwhile, one of the recipients of the Medal was Dolores Huerta, the honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. So socialist politics are acceptable, but not the politics of a man who stood up and fought socialism.

Smart power, eh?

Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at [email protected] with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!