NORTH KOREA – AT 12:45 P.M. ET:  Watching some of the press reaction to North Korea's latest, bizarre behavior, has been thoroughly disheartening.

Some commentators, both print and TV, have reacted to North Korea's threat to pull out of the scheduled summit with President Trump almost with glee, as if a putdown of the president is more important than national security and international peace.  You could almost sense the possibility of relief that the new opening to North Korea will fail.  How dare Trump try to solve the Korean problem?  Didn't he know his place was to continue what the demigod Obama was doing?

At this hour we really don't know what the sudden coldness of the Norks means.  The president, when confronted by some reporters informally this morning, refused to speculate, but reasserted that America was still aiming for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.  The president's position is correct.  We have our principles, but we're not going to panic over a sudden, tough, North Korean threat.

The president is also correct not to grovel, which would have been Obama's response.  He's making it clear that the world will not end if the summit is canceled.  In any negotiation, or anticipated negotiation, you have to be prepared to walk away, to have your chair halfway out.  Otherwise, your opponent will devour you.

Reagan set the standard by rejecting a Soviet offer on arms control, shocking a world used to seeing pieces of paper signed. 

The Korean story is just beginning.  It will not be an easy path.  Be thankful that Field Marshal Obama and Grand Admiral Kerry are not in power.

May 16,  2018