Drama and no-drama, together

Chavez had handed Obama, as a gift, a 1970 book that decries generations of US and European policy in Latin America. The US president lived up to his reputation as no-drama Obama by accepting the gesture with courtesy. The moment captured in the photo spoke of Obama's readiness to distinguish between remediable and irremediable quarrels with foreign governments. The United States has little to lose and much to gain from patching up frayed relations with Venezuela under Chavez - and with Cuba under Raul Castro, Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega, and Bolivia under Evo Morales.

Yet conservatives at home reviled Obama for the handshake with Chavez. Former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich opined, "Everywhere in Latin America enemies of America are going to use the picture of Chavez smiling and being with the president as proof that Chavez is now legitimate, that he is acceptable."

But Obama had it just right when he answered the critics, saying: "Venezuela is a country whose defense budget is probably one-six-hundredth of the United States'. They own Citgo. It's unlikely that as a consequence of me shaking hands or having a polite conversation with Mr. Chavez that we are endangering the strategic interests of the United States."

If anything, President Obama's approach has hurt Venezuela's ability to blame Washington for the results of Chavez's policies. Obama conceded nothing as a matter of policy, but gained goodwill by coming off as civil, reasonable, and willing to hear others out.