Obama Considering World Tour Ahead Of August Convention

Barack Obama may depart this summer from his road-warrior tour of election-battleground states to take a trip around the world, one intended to shore up his credentials on foreign policy.

With a foreign trip under discussion in the Obama camp, any itinerary almost certainly would include a stop in Iraq. That would be his first trip to the war zone since early 2006. It would be designed to answer Republican presidential candidate John McCain's criticism that antiwar Obama can't talk credibly about withdrawing U.S. forces since he hasn't been on the ground there since the 2007 troop buildup brought some military success.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[justhefacts]

What August convention? Today is the latest deadline for the host committee in Denver to come up with $15 million dollars to meet the terms of its contract with the Democratic National Committee. I have seen nothing recently on this post about this issue (there was something way back on March 21 ("Denver Short on Funds") on HuffPost but comments were closed long ago.

I have also read that Penny Pritzker, the Democratic presidential campaign finance chair, is encouraging large donors to contribute to the campaign only and not to "independent" Democratic organizations. Do these "independents" include the Denver National Convention committee? Does that mean any donations that might have gone to the host committee will now go to the DNC in Chicago?

Is the DNC in Chicago going to bail out the DNC in Denver?

Is there going to be a convention in Denver in August?

[beaupritchard]

Actually I think the first person on Obama tour should be the Pope ... he's said he was a uniter ... what about the pope ... a jewish synagogue (maybe temple on the mount) and al-Aqsa.

I think the significance of an appropriate speech at the temple mount won't be lost and since we are all people of the book ... fills Obamas uniter theme.

It takes the world tour out of thew political realm although it would be pure politic ... a quick visit to Iraq without McCain and a promise of withdrawal would pretty much bury anything McCain might have to say.

[xcrunner77]

This is a great idea as long as his security can be assured. It's also good, frankly, to give the American public a break from an election that has been going on for a year and a half. Give us some breathing room to go back to our normal lives for 5 seconds.

Both candidates are having trouble coming up with something new to say. I'm an Obama diehard, but the speeches I hear lately are largely the same as they were 6 months ago. There is only so much new you can say about what you would do for the country before you get to have a go at it. (Imagine interviewing for the same job 10,000 times. How much new stuff could you come up with by the end?)

A foreign trip would breathe new life into the Obama stump speech. It would let the rest of the world see this guy Americans are so gaga over, and it would give us a break from the campaign cycle.

Just don't go to any place where the Clintons have a lot of friends. Hillary is still waiting in the wings, just in case, ya know.

[Markvli]

(cont'd)

I think it's an excellent opportunity to expand the dialogue regarding international affairs beyond simply homeland security issues - and framing international concerns this way helps him against McCain, who benefits by framing the international marketplace as solely a threat, economically and strategically.

I do think it would behoove the Obama campaign to select some countries that are off the map, so to speak - a country in the Caribbean, or somewhere that mainstream American culture has long ignored and allowed the discourse around that area to typecast it.

Thirdly, I think it is critically important that Obama visit and spend time in states (in the United States) where he may not be as strongly favored - states in the South and in the other areas. It is critical that he make that effort - not simply from an optical standpoint (to avoid seemingly visiting countries overseas while ignoring certain regions at home) - but because his effectiveness as a candidate for change (and ultimately as a president for change, if he is successful in November) hinges, in some respect, around uniting, in some fashion, elements of the country that have not seen eye to eye.

[Markvli]

I think a world tour is an excellent idea - for a number of reasons.

First, McCain cannot meaningfully address an international audience and extract the kind of crowd support that Obama could. I think if Obama is able to convene a series of publicly attended speeches - much like his appearances around the United States, complete with the "Change We Can Believe In" placards - then it would be made clear to skeptical Americans how much international support Obama has.

Of course, there are those Americans who believe that international support is not a prerequisite - or even a relevant indicator - of suitability for conducting international affairs on behalf of the United States. Nonetheless, I think he conveys a modicum of international prowess by appearing before international audiences, particularly in town hall-like forums. I do think he would do well to stop in Iraq also.

Second, I think an international tour allows him to expand the geographical scope of the international forum that the United States typically concerns itself with. He can stop in third world countries that the Republican administration has given lip service to, he can stop in Africa where is relatives live, he can stop in India and/or Asia, of course, and all the other countries/regions that the campaign might select.

[schicklett3]

A trip around the world is an excellent idea - maybe it will help the United States regain the friendships lost during the Bush Administration.
I honestly think Senator Obama will bridge the gap that the Republicans widened over the years.

Vote Smart, Vote Obama '08!

[kellygrrrl]

when Boosh took office he did not have one single stamp on his Passport

the only time he left the country was to go to the donkey show and eat the worm

[Bronxcutie]

Why not? I think he should do Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I think John McCain should do this too, because he seems to think that Iraq is like Japan, South Korea, and Germany. Maybe someone should tell him that those regions are STABLE.

[pakaal]

Well, now that you've made the suggestion, maybe Senator McCain will...

...oh wait, forgot, he doesn't know how to use computers. So much for him reading your suggestion.

[BlueOnBlue]

JFK traveled extensively during the 1960 election campaign. He went to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, France, Portugal, the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea and Mexico.

His meetings with world leaders (Macmillan, de Gaulle, Krushchev, Chiang Kai-shek) helped establish his credibility on foreign affairs.

[KBAR]

Barry, you gutless wonder! Go hide out from ant townhall meetings!

How about a TOWN HALL MEETING with McCain at the US bases in Afghanistan and Iraq?

[riverhouse]

Facts show military service members and their families support O*bama over M*Cain.

[PAposter]

Why would any candidate allow their opponent to set the agenda?

Careful K K KBAR, your ignorance is showing again.

[eden4barack08]

******
Now that's a town hall meeting our soldiers deserve!

The war monger McCain who'll keep them from their Homeland for 100+ years VS Obama, who wants to bring them back to their Homeland and their families!

Hoooooraaah!!

[paganmist]

How about the fact that John McCain's filling the town hall with his supporters?

If we could actually get a town hall meeting somewhere without Republican tampering, I'm sure Obama'd do it.

As it is, John McCain's avoiding televised national debates.

Guess he doesn't have enough supporters to fill out a large building.

Just like when he had to downgrade his fund-raiser because there wouldn't be enough people to justify the venue.

[eden4barack08]

Now that's a town hall meeting our soldiers deserve!

The war monger McCain who'll keep them from their Homeland for 100+ years VS Obama, who wants to bring them back to their Homeland and their families!

Hoooooraaah!!

[kristin]

This is a brilliant idea. It will show that Barack is very serious about becoming more fully informed concerning foreign affairs, and it will give him a way to get positive headlines on a regular basis instead of dragging out campaigning all summer and boring us to death with 10 town meetings between Obama and McCain on the campaign trail as McCain has called for. People are fatigued with the intense and lengthy Democratic primary. Barack can come back in plenty of time for the August democratic convention then campaign his heart out from right after Labor Day to the November presidential election. I read that he is holding back about getting too specific too early in his speeches (as opposed to his Website, which has tons of specifics) until closer to election time when most people first really start to pay attention. Endless repetition and town meetings all summer would bore the political junkies (which i have become) and the majority of voters would just not be tuned in while they enjoy the summer -- even if their vacation is just at the local swimming hole.

[oogabooga]

He has planned a stop in Germany for months. They're already saying they can hardly wait for him to become president. In fact, that statement came from a conservative member of their government. That's what they really think of Bush.

[aznurse]

Bad idea. If other world leaders meet with him and say they like him, McCane will say other countries are picking our president.

[eden4barack08]

Let him say it! They don't vote in the US!

We'll be able to use that as another one of his " gaffes ", and his ignorance that it is US citizen' s, and only US citizen's votes that pick our president!

hehehehehe

[eden4barack08]

Now that's a town hall meeting our soldiers deserve!

The war monger McCain who'll keep them from their Homeland for 100+ years VS Obama, who wants to bring them back to their Homeland and their families!

Hoooooraaah!!

[eden4barack08]

That said, I think he should just do Iraq for now!

[nanotubz]

That has been a GOP line for the last forty years. To go or not should only depend upon the the situation here at the time of the trip.

[PKSSK]

Right now he needs to focus on introducing himself here at home by discussing the bread and butter issues of the economy. People here are out of work, lacking health care and loosing their homes, as they fear moving into poverty. Obama should not fall prey to the GOP's ploy of tainting his image on foriegn policy by not visiting Iraq. Obama is leaps and bounds over McCain in foreign policy because he believes in diplomacy over war and has been against the war from day one!!! Obama needs to refocus to the cost of the Iraq war and it's financial impact on our economy, which has increased the wealth of many corp elite and diminished the wealth of middle american's who are moving into poverty. He needs to focus on educating American citizens with the truth so they can make the right voting choice to protect their own interest instead of the special interests.

[Skyhawk]

It wouldn't hurt just to look at the damage Bush has done. However, Obama should visit the states that have been affected by the floods. There will be those who'll say he's just doing it for a photo-op. Damned if you, damned if you don't . FWIW, be damned for doing.