Obama's Odd Word Choices

The practical, pragmatic, realistic President Obama chose odd words in his remarks. Consider his words on Israel-Palestinian peace:

"Unfortunately, right now what we've seen not just in Israel, but within the Palestinian territories, among the Arab states, worldwide, is a profound cynicism about the possibility of any progress being made whatsoever."

Profound cynicism? Hmmm, might that be a pragmatic response to Israel's seven year period of ignoring the Arab League Peace Plan? Might it be a realistic response to the election of a heavy handed Prime Minister and Benjamin Netanyahu's appointment of an avowed racist as Foreign Minister?

Consider Obama's words on torture:

With respect to those who formulated those legal decisions, I would say that is going to be more of a decision for the Attorney General within the parameters of various laws, and I don't want to prejudge that.

Prejudge what? All I want is a simple investigation up and down the torture chain, one done quietly by talented investigators. Their findings determine any next steps.

Avoid political whitewashes, like Frances Townsend's White House Katrina Lessons Learned report and James A. Baker, III's misplaced BP Texas City Explosion report, where 15 people died. Surely the dead deserved something better.

President Obama's word choices are puzzling. Whatever he wants is practical, what he doesn't is cynical or a reactionary rush to judgment. They sound remarkably Bush like.