Obama Snubs Foreign Press

Parent Cafe
21

<p>“If anybody is to blame for the hoopla, it’s McCain who gave Obama a golden opportunity to make the most of this foreign trip by taunting him into making it, thus ensuring that the American press would make a big deal out if. As some commentators have mentioned, Obama has seized his opportunity, at time of little news (and just before the Olympics). If McCain had waited until later, Obama might not have been able to arrange such a complicated itinerary.”</p>

<p>True. Yet more examples of how smart and politically savvy Obama is, big reasons why I think he has the ability to be a great president. Brains, creativity, and the ability to create an excellent team can trump experience especially when one’s “experience” was assisting in creating the current America that has major problems.</p>

22

<p>Exactly, nsm! And now the Obama haters are surprised that he hasn’t turned out to be the Obambi they had hoped for. He’s played this beautifully.</p>

23

<p>And the latest news out of Baghdad… following an hour-long meeting between Obama and prime minister Malaki, Malaki’s spokesman told the press (in English, on film) that Iraq wants US troops out by 2010. </p>

<p>Meanwhile, I don’t think [McCain’s</a> interview](<a href=“http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25759033#25779945]McCain’s”>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25759033#25779945) this morning went all that well. Does he really think he’s helping himself by emphasizing that if Obama had had his way, all of our troops would have been out of Iraq last March?</p>

24

<p>News flash: Obama is running for President, and he wants to win. Therefore, he will do things that he believes will help him win, and will refrain from doing things that he thinks might hurt his chances. Having free-wheeling interviews with the foreign press is unlikely to help him, since the only excerpts from such interviews that U.S. voters will ever see will be any gaffes he might make. Appearing before giant crowds in Europe is probably a two-edged sword, but on balance it’s probably a positive.</p>

25

<p>

[quote]
It is a rally, he initially wanted to hold it at the Brandenburg gate, and now, he has chosen the Siegess</p>

26

<p>“I stand before you today before a monument that honors military victory; but I speak to you today of another kind of victory, victory over…”</p>

<p>That’s all he needs to say to defuse the “controversy” over the location.</p>

27

<p>Er, if the Siegess</p>

28

<p>The same reason Auschwitz concentration camp has not been destroyed, to constantly remind us about a period in our history when a man and his followers decided to create the perfect world for the aryan race by getting rid of the “undersirables”.</p>

<p>We don’t want to repeat this mistake.</p>

29

<p>It’s not a Nazi monument. It’s an older monument to German war victories. Hitler had it moved to it’s current location. It is hardly comparable to Auschwitz. It’s more like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.</p>

30

<p>It’s not for Obama to dictate to the Germans what they should do with their monuments or even what they should think about them.
As well, if the Germans did not want him to speak to the German public, I’m sure they would have told his campaign so.</p>

31

<p>Traveling to Iraq to obtain accurate information from the commanders on the ground in order to best assess what needs to be done there is quite different from going on an all-out European Tour w/ the anchors from the major 3 networks.</p>

<p>Obama is not the President of the United States - I don’t think he really has any business addressing crowds of people in Europe. Just mho. I would think it were presumptuous if McCain were to do it.</p>

<p>Wonder if there will be any other "acts’ on the schedule. In the U.S. when Obama was reported to have drawn such large crowds, it was conveniently omitted that the event was in conjuction w/ other acts/concerts performing in the area.</p>

<p>I just don’t like “hype”. If something is true as reported, fine. But many people can be mislead when the media “creates” something/someone who turns out to be “just another human”. This big “Euro Extravaganza” is just hype - if Obama were a real statesman, truly concerned about doing the best job possible as Commander-in-Chief, he would’ve done what McCain did - go to Irag, talk to the military & Iraqi leaders and come home.</p>

32

<p>

</p>

<p>That’s your opinion. It’s not mine. I would not see anything wrong with McCain giving a public speech abroad either.</p>

<p>Didn’t this thread start with a complaint that Obama did to give more access to foreign media? Now the complaint seems to be that he’ll grant too much direct access to foreign citizens? </p>

<p>Why should Obama not travel to Europe? Are European countries unimportant? Aren’t they also involved in Iraq and Afghanistan? Why should Obama’s program be limited to “obtaining accurate information from the commanders on the ground?” Why can’t he consider other important issues as well? If he becomes president, c-i-c will be only one of his several roles.</p>

<p>The hype? Ask McCain who’s responsible for hyping the trip. Why should Obama be faulted for taking advantage of the opportunity McCain handed him on a silver platter?</p>

<p>Remember that Obama was accused of being inexperienced, naive, too soft “unelectable?” So, now he’s faulted for knowing how to play hardball? Is that how one is supposed to win elections? win wars? win negotiations?
One of the things that Obama’s campaign has done well is stick to a simple narrative. His detractors, on the other hand, don’t seem to know which meme to trot out.</p>

33

<br>

<br>

<p>Obama is a sitting US senator and one of two finalists for the top job. As such, it is not out of line for him to speak to in foreign countries or to foreign leaders. I think Sen. McCain should do likewise, although I doubt he will since the direct contrast between his showing and Sen. Obama’s may be too great for the McCain campaign to risk it.</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>What do you mean? Negative things about Sen. Obama (or his wife) are pretty much the only things you ever post. Why should we start especially objecting now?</p>

34

<p>"Wonder if there will be any other “acts’ on the schedule.”</p>

<p>Well, sure. As I said, he wants to win, and he and his team will schedule events that will help him. I assume McCain will do the same, since he is not stupid.</p>

35

<p>Don’t y’all see the distinction b/w actually facing reporters (foreign OR domestic) asking questions which a caniddate must answer extemporaneously, and big STAGED events with prepared remarks fed to the candidate on a teleprompter?</p>

<p>Don’t you see a difference b/w coming back on the plane and sitting down with reporters until all/most of their questions are answered and spending all his time secluded except for a few quick responses?</p>

<p>It’s all just a media creation - it isn’t real.
Obama is a great unknown. People clammer to him b/c they want to know what he’s all about. As long as he doesn’t lift the veil, the reporters are free to write whatever they can come up with - and absent any real “answers”, all they can do is HYPE the HYPE!</p>

<p>And most of the times that anything has actually been revealed about the guy it’s bitten him on the *** (Rev. Wright, Rezco, Ayers, Earmarks, voting against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, changing positions on so many things, “typical white woman”, held no meetings for his Senate Committee - which happens to be on Afghanistan btw, “present” votes, etc.). I won’t even mention the “gaffes” b/c anyone can have a slip. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>First of all, I’ve tried to temper my remarks w/ some postive comments about Obama as well (I think I just said there is much to be admired about him on another thread - sorry can’t think of anything specific right now). But I am supporting McCain AND I truly feel it is my responsibility to point out why McCain is the superior candidate - if you want to see comments about all the things that my guy is doing RIGHT, then just look at MOST (by a loooong shot!) of my other comments. </p>

<p>Apparently it isn’t enough to outline point-by-point all the reasons why JM is the best candidate - if it were, then I would’ve converted all of you by now!</p>

<p>It isn’t JUST that McCain is superior, but BO (sorry if you don’t like using just his initials b/c it has a “bad connotation”, if I use BHO, then someone will accuse me of emphasizing his middle name! :rolleyes:) is so inferior in his naivete, inexperience, radicalism & shifting opinions. Sometimes you have to say, “Look at your candidate”. I don’t mind if people mention JM’s perceived shortcomings - I appreciate it b/c I’d WANT to know! Then I can reassess my support or counter their arguments. Isn’t that what this forum is about?</p>

36

<p>I admit to being someone troubled by Senator Obama’s soft-peddling and down-shifting the media bicycle. With President Bush I considered this spirit and behavior to be arrogant and secretive. Disastrous, for all around. </p>

<p>That I don’t think much gets accomplished --nothing new learned-- by making oneself more accessible to some rough handling by the press does not in any way make me believe it wont help to pinch the big-dog’s ears once and awhile --give them a bit of pause --remind them that they don’t have a completely off the leash.</p>

<p>Here, in Germany, it was my understanding that Senator Obama’s political team wanted the Brandenburg Gate as the backdrop to the big moment --perhaps in an effort to do the Regan/Kennedy thing and draw out historic comparisons.</p>

<p>The Germans, however, did not believe Senator Obama, as of yet, had earned that sort of political/historic prestige and slotted his appearance at another, less robust and symbolic, political site.</p>

<p>I’m kind of a sucker for this “new-kind-o-politician” thing. Give me that and we might have a deal…you know, …fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me…you can’t get fooled again.</p>

<p>Does anyone else have any information on the Brandenburg business?</p>

<p>.</p>

37

<br>

<br>

<p>No. Actually, CC is about college admissions. Do you have any thoughts on that topic?</p>

38

<p>“It isn’t JUST that McCain is superior… [Obama] is so inferior in his naivete, inexperience, radicalism & shifting opinions.”</p>

<p>You know, I read your words, but I just don’t find them persuasive. McCain, while having many good qualities, is just not that impressive. He doesn’t have a good grasp of the economy, is too old, is just as much a flip-flopper as Obama, and isn’t as smart as Obama. He has more experience in the Senate, but doesn’t really have much more experience that is relevant to being President. He’s a rich guy, with a rich wife, and comes from a privileged background with family connections. He has a bad temper, and is vindictive. Plus (in my opinion) he’s on the wrong side of a bunch of important issues. I mean, he’s an OK guy, and I don’t think he’d be nearly as bad a President as we have now, but he’s not that great. After all, he lost the nomination to Bush in 2000–if Republicans back then thought the woefully inexperienced and inept Bush was a better candidate than McCain then, why should the rest of us think McCain’s better than Obama now?</p>

39

<p>Woodwork:</p>

<p>My understanding of the Brandenburg Gate imbroglio is that it has something to do with purely domestic German affairs. The mayor of Berlin is from a different political party than Chancellor Merkel and would not have been adverse to a bit of reflected aura. But with the hoopla made about the significance of the BG, and the White House weighing on it, it would not have been a good idea for Obama to stick with that site. The monument’s historical connotations are not ideal, but another site, the airport, is even less so, since it was designed by Albert Speer. Oh, the weight of history!</p>

<p>I absolutely agree that Obama should be willing to face the press. But he does not have to face the foreign press. Be that as it may, it appears that his meeting with Sarkozy is going to be followed by a press conference. Sarko is not one to eschew the limelight.</p>

40

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes, actually I do, and they are well-documented. I also have thoughts about washing machines, coffee makers, traveling to D.C., car makers, kinky hair, global warming and all the myriad topics which are debated & discussed in the Parent Cafe. Note I’m not posting political commentary in the “college” threads. Are you suggesting that I do not have the perogative of posting anything about the presidential candidates here?</p>