To take this one step further McCain's idea of say one thing in public and do another behind the scenes is exactly what has gotten this country into the problems with these religious fanatics. It wasn't so long ago that even George Bush Jr, had the Taliban in Texas for a visit while he was Govoner trying to set the deal up for Unicol and the gas line in Afghan.
I think it's good to see a leader like Obama say that his will do something if it needs to be done, rather than claiming he won't in public but then doing it anyway. Everyone knows they will done it anyway, so might as well tell the truth, rather than treat the US public like Unicorns and tooth fairies really exist.
What you fail to realize is that when a Presidential Hopeful becomes President, what he/she said along the way is remembered. You would be very naive to believe that Al Quaida will not take Obama's public statement that he will attack whenever he feels prudent, and use it to help sway their cause.
That's the problem with saying stuff in public.
By you logic, perhaps the President's plans with his chiefs of staff to develop strategy to combat terrorists should be discussed in public, eh?