As any of our more left leaning regular readers will tell you, I’ve not been shy about criticizing President Obama when I find him heading in directions which I feel are not in our best interest. And yes, I must admit to the guilty pleasure of giving the President the occasional poke in the ribs when he’s caught in some faux pas. Unfortunately, the recent kerfuffle over Obama allegedly admiring the rear view of an attractive young lady during his European tour qualifies as neither.

I’ll grant you, the one frame of that video, taken out of context, could certainly lead one to believe the story. (And some are still clinging to it like grim death.) But during the Ed Morrissey Show yesterday, Ed and Duane Patterson (not exactly staunch defenders of the President) played the entire clip for us and it became obvious that the reality was something else entirely. (You can view the entire clip, originally from Fox News, at Shakesville.)

As you watch the video clip yourself, keep an eye out for this shot, which comes less than two seconds after the “incriminating” photo making the rounds. (Click on the thumbnail for a slightly larger photo.) The President is very clearly looking down and to his right to reach for the hand of the young lady in the glasses and black top, who he then steadies and assists down the steps to stand next to him.

It was nothing more than a cute, throwaway story to begin with, but I’m afraid this one never got off the ground, to say nothing of having legs. But if you watch the French president, however, we may have another story entirely. Then again… eh. He’s French. What can we say?