Tancredo has had similar outbursts regarding the situation along the Mexican border. It's something of his stock in trade.

As for Obama...I think what he was doing was more or less saying that nothing was off the table for him in regard to some situations. And I can't say that it bothered me too much, because at least he HAD a position and wasn't afraid to express it. Saying he'd launch attacks along the Pakistan border isn't the same thing as doing it, and I'd rather have him be up-front about the possibility than dither and two-step about it, launch some kind of half-assed misdirected standoff strike, and then deny knowing anything about it later.