Obama: Stay Home and Focus on the Struggling U.S. Economy: Europe Will Always Be There

Both presidential candidates seem to be missing the fact that the American voter is scared, angry and apprehensive about our troubled economy.

Both campaigns keep talking about foreign affairs when the American voter is looking for a competent person to get a handle on the economy and tell us that he has an answer for all our ills, from the mortgage crisis to the lack of an energy policy to the falling stock market.

Obama and McCain have failed to convince the American voter that each has a plan that can help put the economy back on track.

When people are worried about losing their jobs, losing their homes and losing the value in their pension plans the last thing they are thinking about is how the transatlantic alliance is going or what is the future of NATO.

As my colleague Andrew Ward wrote in the Financial Times today, "McCain and Obama Look Overseas While Investors Panic."

As Ward states, "On the campaign trail, however, the presidential candidates have said little about the crisis beyond broadly supportive comments about government efforts to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the ailing mortgage companies. Instead they have spent the week arguing about US strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan."

While investors are standing in line for hours to recover their money from the failed IndyMac Bank, they really do not care or worry about whether or not Obama should give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate or some other symbolic location in Berlin.

I find both campaigns to be totally out of sync with what is happening to the American economy. It is odd that they both seem deaf to what is happening right before their eyes.

Instead of debating whether or not to speak at the Brandenburg Gate and causing unnecessary controversy with one of our allies, Obama should be speaking at the gates of a General Motors plant in Michigan on how we need to keep jobs alive in the U.S. auto industry.

I have been involved in transatlantic relations for more than 20 years, working for the European Union as editor of their magazine, serving as editor at Johns Hopkins of a magazine called TransAtlantic and teaching in Italy last summer. And I feel very strongly that this is not the time for Obama to be traveling to Europe. The American economy, as one of my students at Johns Hopkins said, is "beyond terrible," and both presidential candidates need to focus on our massive economic problems which are not going away any time soon.

Obama's trip to Europe at this time seems inappropriate. Europe will always be there and there will be time for him to meet foreign leaders if and when he becomes our next president.
Right now people in the U.S. are afraid every day about the next economic disaster that may hit us.

Neither presidential candidate seems to have the necessary background in economics, business or finance to lead us to a brighter economic future. Neither has really been in the private sector.
Instead of looking for vice-presidential candidates who have a national security background, Obama and McCain need to focus instead on a VP who knows something about business and economics.

What about Bill Gates for VP? He just left his job and probably doesn't need the money, but he might be a good choice for Obama or McCain. He certainly knows how to run a business and do it well.

Of course, Gates is probably not going to be VP, but both candidates should be looking for people like the Microsoft founder who have a background in business and economics for their running mates.

It is inconceivable to me how out of touch both presidential candidates are to the economic crisis facing the United States.

It is really unbelievable that they don't remember the winning Bill Clinton campaign in 1992: "It's the economy, stupid."

Where are the innovative, thoughtful plans on restructuring our system instead of both candidates half-heartedly approving the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The government would certainly not be bailing out most small businesses if they failed and were poorly managed.

When voters are worried on a daily basis about keeping their jobs and their homes and are seeing our entire economic system looking bleak, it really is no advantage to a candidate to travel overseas at a time of economic crisis at home.

Senator Obama, postpone your European trip and get serious about an innovative approach to get us out of our economic crisis which seems to get worse hour by hour.

Europe will still be there if and when you make it to the White House. Europe's leaders can wait to meet you -- our economy can't wait to be fixed.

Comments

[several]

The writing of this article seems dependent on a very willful ignorance of the facts. Unless your only sources of news are network cable news outlets and skimming headlines of major newspapers without reading the articles, you can't not know some of the things you claim to not know.

So you want him to stay home and cede the argument over who would be the better foreign policy leader to McCain? Uh, yeah. I'm thinking that nationalism and isolationism wouldn't be winning tactics this year.

"Both campaigns out of sync with what is happening to the economy"?

"Where are the innovative, thoughtful plans on restructuring our system"?

Have you tried looking or do you just expect the info to come pouring in through the cable channels or glances at headlines?

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/EconomicPolicyFullPlan.pdf

Remarks on Economy on July 7th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO7RAhNtb3Y

More in his speech at LALAC the following day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx8-h1WdEbg

Major Economic Speech, March 27:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSuT5zN2SPI

Oh and you said: "Obama should be speaking at the gates of a General Motors plant in Michigan on how we need to keep jobs alive in the U.S. auto industry."

Here's Obama discussing the economy, and his manufacturing agenda with auto-workers in Warren, MI on May 14:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-mlrEAfB1I

[RationalDem]

I have to disagree on this issue. It's important that Obama go out and meet these leaders and assure the fence sitting indepedents that he can hold his own on the world stage.

I for one am looking forward to his speech in Germany.

[omaro]

Mr. Guttmann, I think you're looking at this trip through a too-narrow view. He's taking one week out of a many-months-long campaign to go to Europe. He has consistently talked of a 50-state campaign strategy, by which he really means, as he has said, the 57-contest campaign (which includes U.S. territories, a couple of other small groups of delegates, and Americans abroad.) There are many thousands of Americans living in Europe, with an especially high concentration in Germany, and Berlin is an easily accessible, central place for them to come to see Obama in person. Yes, our economy is in the tank, although this is not Obama's fault. He's done plenty of speaking about economic issues as well, and will be doing many campaign events at appropriate places in the near future. The economy is NOT the only issue, although it's very important.

[justmeinAz]

with all due respect, this idea of staying "at home" because that's where the crisis is, is short-sighted. If you have ants in your kitchen, you don't just stand there by the sink wacking the endless stream of ants coming in the window and across the sink. you have to address the situation outside, namely the ant hill nearby that they are coming from, or the crack in the foundation that they are getting in through,etc.
we do have some very serious economic worries right now which are well-founded, but they are very directly effected by what's going on in the global economy. any leader that wishes to help us economically will have to do so with a global strategy, and would include having close and frequently maintained ties with the other major markets in the world. In the Nixon era, American-Chinese relationships first started improving through the unlikely venue of ping-pong. let's try not to think so small and hopelessly short-sighted. If you play chess only thinking about the move you're about to make, you had best get very comfortable with losing.

[MarieFara]

Oh please! Obama is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. He will be hit by every corner "you didn't go to Iraq" or "how could you go to Iraq at such a time". I say go!

[westbrooks01]

Robert:

I think you're 100% wrong on this issue!

1) Obama did not get us in this mess to begin with. Obama has been a U.S. Senator; is still a U.S. Senator; and happens to be the presumptive Democratic nominee. What could a speech in front of GM's gates possibly do to prop up the financial sectors?

2) Obama's trip to Europe is absolutely necessary. I find it really hard to believe that you still think America is an island, and not a global citizen. The fact that you're educated, but can't draw the lines between an Iranian missile launch and our own gas prices. It's just a symptom of how we're attached to the rest of the world.

It will hopefully be refreshing to see how the world reacts to our next president. It will be amazing to see what Barack has to say about these leaders he meets. Aren't you excited to hear a new viewpoint on this SCAREY world out there, that is out to get us?

Electing a president is about electing the future. It would be a waste of time for Barack to stand around and solely focus on fixing BushCo's problems.

You're absolutely wrong.

Tony

[Indepatriot]

The last thing we need is another "business man" in the Whitehouse.

[BBackSoon]

McSame"s big argument is that he will be better on the world political stage and that Obama has not been to Iraq. Well this is O"s chance to show that he can also shine on that same stage and to go and talk to the Commanders and soldiers on the ground in Iraq. Also with just under 3 months until the election now is the time to go and get this trip "out of the way" if you will.

Once O returns from this fact finding photo opp (It is not a bad thing) having taken those talking points away from McSame he can concentrate on hitting the Repugs over the head with the economy they have created. Sure McSame will say "What do you know about Iraq you only visited once." But we know he will say something negative and condescending to the youngster no matter what O does.

[NotMcCain]

Every time he focuses on his candidacy and why he will be a GREAT president to help us out of this mess, he focuses on the economy.

News conferences and rallies get stale and people start tuning out (and the media doesn't cover them much anyway).

A fresh event, showing the enthusiasm and support this man generates around the world, will be a great way to energize the campaign and keep people paying attention to his message about both Iraq (still, imo, issue #1) and the economy (a very, very close second).

[ChiGuy]

Sorry Mr. Guttman, but you are wrong.

Now, is the perfect timing for Obama's trip.
The closer to the election he demonstrates his concern for, and his policies toward domestic issues, the better chance there is that they will stick in the voters' minds.

He's playing this just right.

[MariaHopeful]

What exactly can Obama do about economic situation? And when exactly would you advise that he take that foreign trip that McCain took after he clinched his party's nomination?
I am waiting with bated breath for your considered response.

[roquelaure]

He's not applying to be a business CEO... the US, and therefore its leader have a huge effect on the rest of the world. It's entirely appropriate for both candidates to try out the world stage.

Also, 2 points - I don't know what you have or have not been listening to, but I've heard plenty on the economy from Obama, and plenty of empathy for the average American, too. Way more than from McCain. Read his stump speech, for crying out loud. Second, we're sending 10 billion dollars to Iraq every month, borrowing billions from China, making the Middle East rich from oil profit, we're the biggest importer of goods in the world, the biggest exporter of work, the dollar is as weak as it's ever been worldwide, and we have arguably the biggest influence of any single nation on the world's economy; I could go on, but I won't. As such, foreign relations have plenty to do with our economy. So quit yer cryin'.

[TheSecularist]

Obama is not president, yet. His staying in the country will do nothing to fix our economy and nothing to make me feel better. I'm in favor of his going abroad to establish a better rapport with our allies. Where were you and the rest when Bush implemented outrageous tax cuts for the wealthy? Nowhere to be found for sure. These bad economic times are the result of 28 years of Republican policies of smaller government, laissez faire business policies, and trickle down economics BS. The do-nothing Democrats failed to offer anything better. Republican policies resulted in failure to invest in infrastructure, university research and development being funded by corporations who skew the results for profit motives, a decrease in real income for Americans, a nation that has fallen behind in technological development, health care that is unaffordable, a lack of decent-paying jobs, out-of-reach college costs, and more. Bill Clinton's policies merely stalled for time and George Bush's policies accelerated the process. Current economic times are the culmination of the policies of the last 28 years. Don't blame Obama.

[Moka11]

"damned if you stay, damned if you go" argument.
This is the same debate that Obama has to go to Iraq to familiarize himself with it before having an authentic policy.
Mr. Guttmans "kinda whiney" post is that Obama needs to stay here to understand that the economy is trashed and people are scared.
McCain taunted Obama for months that he is "uninformed" about Iraq and must go there. Now that Obama is going there, McCain says Obama is using it as a "campaign event".
The logic of Mr. Guttmans post is equal to a McCain Campaign "catch 22" that is becoming foolishly overused and nauseating.

[unity08]

This is a case of "be careful what you wish for". Mc has been riding Obama for months for not going to Iraq. Of course he wanted them to go together so that he could get a litle luv too. I am so sure he wishes now that he had never started that nonsense. He is the one who focused the attention on the matter. Fact is, this trip has been planned for months.

To the point of the economy; umm...this is the 21st century in which we have what is widely recognized as a global economy. If W had been paying attention and perhaps been a little more worldly himself he might have seen this coming. Instead he has protected his oil buddies and stuck to his "stay the course" mentality on the war. Obama cant fix what the republicans have broken until he is the president.