Analysis of Senator Obama's Overseas Trip

This week, Senator Obama began the European leg of his much anticipated overseas trip. I spoke to Washington Post columnist Jim Hoagland, New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan Bronner and author Robin Wright about their observations after the Senator's first stop in Berlin, where he drew a crowd of more than 200,000 according to German estimates.

Comments

[livewire19]

The Audacity of Arrogance-- that should be the title of Obama"s self-proclaimed victory lap though Europe and the Middle East. Shameless and tasteless are two adjectives that describe the trip. By the time he leaves London, he"ll be so full of helium I doubt he"ll need a plane to make it home.

To be honest, I found the Berlin speech more than mildly disappointing, and chocked full of empty rhetoric. The European socialists may embrace Obama"s American brand of socialism because it weakens America"s competitive position in the world economy and levels the economic playing field. But if he expects them to fight with us side by side in the war on terrorism he hasn"t learned the lessons of history and is too naïve to be president. The only countries who have steadfastly stood by the US are Canada, the UK, and Australia (and the Poles to a lesser degree). Our other allies get wobbly spines when the going gets tough.

When he looks in the mirror, Obama may think he sees JFK. But it"s really slick Willie reading from the economic malaise plan of Jimmy Carter with the clear and confident voice of a man who has no experience.

[kathomas1]

Whoever supports Obama will think it was the foreign trip of the century. Whoever dislikes Obama or supports McCain will think Obama is the antichrist. Based on the partisan nature of America, 80% of the country is already locked in no matter what Obama or McCain (he went overseas too....right?) does. It will be the remaining 20% (i.e. the Independents) in about 13 swing states that will decide the General Election. It will be a close one, but don't count on any game changers until after Labor Day.

[castlerider]

The past 8 years are a perfect example of why Free-Market economics that began with Milton Friedman's Chicago school of economics that so many republicans and right-wingers have espoused and touted, practically as their "bible" to save capitalism and advance their idea of the American ideal, have been absolutely wrong and disastrous for this country.
This ideal, which like in Pinochet's Chile, states that it's OK to spy on, torture and even kill, yes, even your own citizens if needed, to SHOCK people and make them fall in line with fear.
Reagan imposed scant traces of these ideals with deregulation; since that time, it's become fully loosed by Bush's administration in their grandiose War on Terror, where Doug Feith stated that the Geneva Convention laws should not apply to the prisoners in this war, -Where insistence on wiretapping is so surreal.

Very much of the educated world thinks otherwise. They know torture. They know what this corrupt administration is up to, and are rightly disgusted with it. They know that when all the veil's removed, the prime motivator behind all this is GREED. Greed from a facsist styled government with ideals this administration arrogantly links itself, & in the end, wants to control people.

Small wonder it 's so refreshing for them to see a candidate like Obama, who they can see does not espouse these ideals, and welcome him.

Get a clue, people. It's not necessarily Obama these people look up to and love so much, it's America.

[sclucie]

GREAT post. Anyone who listened to that speech carefully heard that the strongest resonses came when Obama talked about promise restored - not about himself - but about America. It was moving and I am ready for it too. I want my country back.

[MossyOak]

Thank you Castlerider. Excellent post. Well said. All true.

[tubette]

thank you for saying that so eloquently....

[livewire19]

I sure wish both Republicans and Democrats would rediscover what free market capitalism truly is. The march toward socialism coming out of Washington is steady and unrelenting. I have no desire to put my fate and livelihood in the hands of uncaring, unfeeling bureaucrats.

[GayGrandpa]

The biggest policy challenge Obama will face is re-ingagement of people and nations. America needs a President who will challenge and talk to them and lay out a plan, the world needs the same. We need a bold fearless optimistic clear minded brilliant and driven President...a world and a nation will rally around such a leader. Most people are eager sheep and will gladly follow a piper who will lead them into peace and prosperities...in this nation the military establishment must be redirected to the stars! Not star wars, but Mars...a manned mission before 2050! You cannot kill the military establishment but you can retrain and redirect it like a dog, give it a new noble mission. We must realize in this world the majority of nations from the Middle East and beyond want a stable and immediate peace! It is high time to bring in all of the regimes and set people down to do that now once and for all! Great things can be done...within eight years the oil crises can be over...not by mining the seas or the parks but by putting in conservation and doing r&d. The Republicans say we cannot afford this but these are the same who happily give $160 billion dollars to fight in Iraq every few months! I tell you with incentives 90% of all cars on American highways could be ELECTRIC in 5 years! We must walk into our safety WITH GIANT STEPS!

[openhand]

I agree with your sentiment but on the point of cars and highways. The private car, whether zero emission or not is not sustainable. If cars were cheap and non polluters the gridlock would make walking faster. The only solutions are communal solutions like public transport, public green spaces, public health etc... the test is always if it works for 90% of the people 90% of the time.

Cities that are getting this right are Curitiba in Brazil and Bogata in Columbia.

[kentuck]

Obama is popular because the rest of the world is comparing him to George W Bush - not John McCain.

They are relieved with the thought that soon Bush will be gone. No doubt, the world will sleep better at night. Obama is the anti-Bush. That is all that folks need to know.

[openhand]

Hillary is anti Bush and so is McCain. What Obama is is a reflection of diversity and democracy at work.

[StillIRise]

The rest of the world is not only comparing Obama to Bush, but also recognize another Bush in John McCain. They are as aware of and informed about Senator Obamas's opponet as they are about Senator Obama himself. They see Obama as anti-Bush, and they see McCain as pro-Bush. You seem not to give the rest of the world very much credit for understanding the two-party system and dynamics of our election process. I imagine that many of those outside of America are more enlightened about our politics than many Americans are, and are likely much more invested since our elections impact their lives in some ways even more intensely than our lives are affected. One very salient difference between them and us is that they're not as tunnel-visioned about skin color as we are and view the candidates much more objectively than we do.

[Budokan]

If McCain had taken this trip and drew this kind of attention and these kinds of crowds, the right-wing Repug echo chamber would be creaming its pants about now.

Obama does it and he's "arrogant" which is Repug code for "uppity" and we all know what that means....

[bayside]

Do you know why europe loves Obama. Because he doesnt want to kill them or steal what they have and because he didnt graduate 4th from the bottom of his class. We had enough stupid now we try smart.. Dont know if Obama can clean up this mess but MCCains famous temper alone is not presidentual material...

[RobertAndropolis]

The ultimate goal is to clean up "this mess." The immediate goal is simply to start.

[wanttruth]

Sen. Obama conducted himself with poise and thoughtfulness. His "global unity" speech was great. I'm proud of him and our country. Obama 08

I really wish the fake patriotism attacks on Sen. Obama's character would stop. The attacks lack any substance. PLEASE FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES!!!

[Budokan]

Repugs are incapable of focusing on reality. They always have been, which is why the American people are going to rise up in November and bring down their criminal regime once and for all.

[naluca]

Obama can talk about "real issues" whenevr he likes. Instead, he exclaims generalities, platitudes, and complaints about not talking about the real issues. And when pinned down, he talks in carefully worded ambiguities, in order to give himself a way out. And when he does take a stand, he is likely to reverse himself.

In addition, real, actual people are concerned about his "patriotism." Although that might be a meaningless generality to you, it is very real in the minds of many. Rather than griping about it, Obama - with all his alleged people skills - should gracefully acknowledge the concern and figure out a way to respond to it. He hasn't done this so far, and I'm afraid it does not speak for his interest in all types of people. I think he does this when he feels he has no need of them. People sense this, believe me, and you would be surprised, I think, at the disdain and bitterness that many feel toward him for that reason alone.

[rini]

You think McCain is a straight talker? This guy has reversed himself so many times you cannot keep count. Google McCain and flip flop. You will find many SUBSTANTIVE issues on which he has done an 180. Most importantly, when he has changed it has been obvious that his is trying to toe the GOP line and garner the evangelical and right wing votes.

[castlerider]

To him, responding to questions about his patriotism are ridiculous, as they should be for anyone who's come this far and has had to work so hard for helping people in this country like he has. And I sure as hell don't blame him.
It's also crystal clear that when people question his integrity or patriotism, it's generally because they want to find a way to attack him. It's a low, below the belt shot that I find to be absolutely chicken sh*t and doesn't even deserve a response.
If you don't like the guy, don't be a coward, just say it. Talking about his patriotism is completely ireelevant, and changes nothing.

[RobertAndropolis]

Not one. Not ONE example to support your claims.

[sclucie]

Really? Next to my personal honor, I would say that one of the strongest feelings I have is about America - the real America - the America that follows the constitution, follows its promise, believes that all men are created equal, and honors the promise of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Would I fight to defend those freedoms (as oppposed to fight to install a Sharia Islamic state?)? Yes. I would. Is it possible to more patriotic than that.

Stop throwing about empty Republican attack phrases. You have no right to decree who is patriotic and who is not. It is simply a cheap and empty trick the Republicans have used for years when they have nothing else to offer - and nothing else to defend their failed policies with.

[StillIRise]

Real people are concerned about his patriotism? That's odd! In the forty years that I've been voting for presidents, I've never heard this said about any presidential candidate before. Were "real people" also concerned about Senator Clinton's patriotism? What about Senator McCain? Is it because they're white that their patriotism is taken for granted, because only white Americans are true patriots and everyone else is suspect? Had Senator McCain given the identical speech, would "real people" still be concerned?

If Senator Obama's patriotism is the concern of "real people," then I think "real people" need to be less concerned about Senator Obama's patriotism and more concerned about the state of their own soul. Obviously, the challenge lies with them, not with Senator Obama.

[JJeff88]

Memo to the Media -

Stop micro-analyzing. Maybe the guy is really that good.

[Marysdude]

Sorry, Mr. Rose, but talking heads are just that...talking heads. If we can't figure out for ourselves if Big O's trip and speach had meaning, and what that meaning might be...we are doomed. Stop paying attention to kibitzers and pundits if you really are serious about being informed. But if you didn't use them, you'd be out of a job...or turn into one yourself. God, what a cesspool we live in.

[BarackstarObama]

He was kissed on both cheeks by the president of France... it was wild.

[neesy08]

evidently you have not traveled to europe. the french, spaniards, greeks, italians, show great affection for another by kissing on BOTH cheeks. it is the anglos who kiss the air when pretending to kiss ONE cheek! lol

[GayGrandpa]

It might be a better world if more would practice intimacy...what are people afraid of? Are they afraid they are going to lose their manhood...personally I cannot think of any thing more jaded than a man who cannot any longer cry or a man who will not show affection to the one he loves!

[Seattlelite]

Had Obama dared to even hint at "policies" the republicans would have had a field day. He walked a very fine line for a "candidate seeking the Presidency" on this trip and did everything right. Absolutely brilliant!! Mission "really" accomplished. But one thing the republicans can not deny nor spin, as it's stand today, Sen. Obama is THE candidate of choice for President both here and abroad. And I pray that doesn't change.

[Sparhawk]

"..Sen. Obama is THE candidate of choice for President both here and abroad. .."

Since when do they have a say on elections in the USmuch less even worthy of noting?? Move there if it fascinates you so much...

[videlicet]

Considering the number of foreign elections the US has historically meddled in - most recently in Iraq - your isolationist sentiment has little credibility.

We proclaim that who leads in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Russia, Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala (to name a few) affects us; should we be surprised when the rest of the world "presumes" to proclaim its interests in the same way?

[PumaAnn]

The speech seemed vague, but that's typical for him. They'll find it hard to pin him down on much of any substance.

[ChimpNchief]

Try paying attention to what he's saying. Candy Crowley nailed him down on several points today on CNN

[RustyGranite]

Nah, Candy Crawley "tried" to nail him down and it didn't work...she ended up looking like an obsessed doofus like Katie Couric.

[peppermint]

Because his words are empty, just like his suit. If I hear anymore about those imaginary "walls" he is trying to allude to I'll gag. Did I miss something or did those European leaders put up another wall when we weren't looking? I hear he plagurized Bono with his "this is our moment" reference about 10 times. Just "words, just speeches". Meanwhile old McCain is staying right on his tail despite the adulation for President of the Earth.

[rini]

McCain is within throwing distance of Obama only because the "liberal media" fawn over his "maverick" persona and war hero history. In reality he is more of the same that got us into so much trouble in the first place. Our national security is priority and we are risking it in so many ways. We trash our environment, we inflame our allies and we don't really secure our "homeland." The department that is supposed to do this has no more teeth or funding than FEMA did during hurricane Katrina. There are some things that only a central government can do. The GOP, however. insists on throwing the baby away with the bath water. (How's that for a bathtub reference, Grover?)

Also, I would rather a president that understands our place in the world. We are part of this globe, not owner of it. We cannot get everything we want with bombs and no-bid contracts.

[sherbug]

The walls are not imaginery. In Europe, there has never been a person of color that has ever been considered for the highest office. In the world of Muslims, one faction hates the other faction. There is also the neverending conflict in Israel. These are all very real barriers to civil cooperation and global cooperation.

You sound as if you live behind a wall of hatred for blacks. This black man representing your country is drawing crowds of people waving American flags and all you can do is criticize and find fault. How do you reconcile pride in your country with your criticism of an event that should have made you proud.

[starboymikey]

Meanwhile old McCain is staying right on his tail despite the adulation for President of the Earth
_____________________________________________

It's "old McCain" who is the empty suit. Win or lose, he has all the substance of the Main Street set in an old western. Look behind the general store and black smith shop and all you'll see is a bunch of sagging old timbers and a couple of stage hands having a smoke.

As to your "President of the Earth" crack, that would be perfect description of who George W. Bush thinks he is.

See, what you're doing here is called *projection,* and it's not about showing movies.

[StillIRise]

Imaginary walls? Walls between rich and poor? Between black and white? Between Christian and Muslim? These are imaginary?

Then I guess the Iraq war is imaginary as well, as is our economy and the world economy, and the racial divide that has become so apparent in this election are just figments of our imagination? Your attempt to denigrate Senator Obama's speech is no more than a revelation of your own ignorance or lack of humanity, or both.

It's not surprising that you're supporting McCain!

[neesy08]

the speech had to be vague. he was speaking to a german audience. do you hink they care about policies?

[sherbug]

If he had given a policy speech, you would have called him presumptuous. This was not the time or space for a policy speech. This was a meet and greet speech and he didn't want to say anything that could have been construed as U.S. policy. He is not POTUS and as such he speech should have been vague. I believe the private meetings he had with the collective head of state had more substance and was more in depth as to what his policies would be.

[LeftLeanWing]

PumaAnn,

You are the type of person that criticizes your neighbor's Ferrari for not having an 8-track player and plastic-covered Bench Seats

[pithy]

"There will be a honeymoon" - duh! Hoagland says little that the armchair political junkie hasn't already figured out.

His comments on what Obama left out of his Berlin speech are foolish - it appeared that he only wanted to impress the TV audience with some obscure German technicality about fighting in Afghanistan.

But Obama wasn't there to lay out policy, he was introducing himself on the world stage and making the point to voters back home that he's comfortable doing so.

Mission Accomplished!

[neesy08]

exactly! he did a great job too! no matter what obama does/says, the repubs will find fault. that is why they are ALL outta here this year!

[starboymikey]

Mission Accomplished!
___________________________________________

Cut it out! You're scarin' me.

[plebeianswillrevolt]

Robin really doesn't have much to say. (yawn). I had to stop the video. Jim was very interesting with his point on Asian trade as the Bush Buddy connection however, to the dertiment of America I might add.