McClatchy: "Serious times call for serious president overseas "

[Tarheel_Dem]

Serious times call for serious president overseas
Policy experts praising Obama's demeanor with foreign leaders

By Margaret Talev
McClatchy Newspapers


Published on Monday, Jun 08, 2009

PARIS: Speaking before crowds, President Barack Obama has displayed a gift for bonding personally with his listeners. One on one with foreign leaders, it seems to be all business all the time.

The contrast between his public oratory and his determination to project an appearance of professionalism with his counterparts was visible during the four-nation trip that ended Sunday. It puts Obama in a different class of statesmen from his immediate two predecessors, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who spoke often of their trust or affection for other world leaders.

It's winning plaudits, not only with foreign audiences and world leaders, but also at home, where his presidential rival, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., both have praised his style as right for the times.

His speech in Cairo to the Muslim world, some 1.5 billion people, not only reached one of the biggest audiences ever sought but also may open doors after decades of misunderstanding, to judge from the first opinion polls cited by the White House. But in meetings with four heads of government or state, Obama went out of his way to avoid
effusiveness.

In the press availability, Obama also was blunt about his disagreement with France's policies preventing Muslim women from wearing scarves or veils in certain public circumstances.

http://www.ohio.com/news/world/47182812.html

Looks as if this trip was a success, despite the naysayers.

[zbdent]

1. Mr. "This isn't change we can believe in!" says that Obama's style is right for the times?

:rofl:

and he wanted to continue Bush's "Agree with us or get nuked" style ...

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Amazing what a few short months can do, huh? McCain knows that he's

despised as much by the crazy rightwing base of his party as the president is, maybe he's trying to send a signal?

[BlooInBloo]

3. Yes, his trip was a huge success, but not because a few republicans say so.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. I agree with you. The GOP is completely out of power in Washington, but...

it seems that every debate is still framed from the GOP vantage point. They had control of the media when they were in power, and that hasn't changed one bit, since they lost power. Go figure....