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Obama Plays Down Significance of Foreign Trip
July 27, 2008 2:48 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., responded to criticisms over his 9 day, 8 country foreign trip, saying that just because he "did it really well" doesn’t mean that it was any different than when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., or any other presidential candidates has traveled abroad in the past.
"I was puzzled by this notion that somehow what we were doing was in any way different from what Sen. McCain or a lot of presidential candidates have done in the past. Now, I admit we did it really well. But that shouldn't be a strike against me."
Speaking before the annual UNITY conference in Chicago, in his first public event since retuning to the U.S, Obama pushed back criticism of his foreign trip being "audacious" because it looked like he had been "running for president of the world" rather than focusing on the US.
Obama insinuated that his performance while abroad left little to criticize thus prompting people to impugn of the trip itself, "If I was bumbling and fumbling through this thing, I would have been criticized for that."
Senator McCain took a foreign trip earlier this year which Senator Obama used for comparison, saying he visited the same countries and met with most of the same leaders, "and nobody suggested that was audacious," he added.
Senator Obama traveled to Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, France, German and Britain last week and said his travels and meeting with many foreign leaders and opposition leaders was helpful in terms of governing and being an effective president, should he be successful in November.
"I think I've established relationships and a certain bond of trust with key leaders around the world who have taken measure of my positions and how I operate and I think can come away with some confidence that this is somebody I can deal with."
Since retuning to the U.S., Obama and his campaign have made it a point to refocus this week on domestic issues.
Obama will meet with members of his economic team, including Paul Volcker, Warren Buffett and Bob Rubin in Washington on Monday.
"People are understandably concerned about the immediate effects of the economy," Senator Obama added, "And that's what we will be talking about for the duration.
In addition to economic meetings, Obama's campaign events will be economic in nature this week. Obama will head to Missouri and Iowa to hold an economic roundtable and also meet with Iowans affected by recent flooding.
July 27, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (588)
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Thanx jhw539, another thing people dont factor in is that no tax-increase is going to be immediate. It may take 2-3 years but they subject criticism to economy situation of now without realising any tax-increase is not going to occur till the economy is stabilized.
Posted by: eyes like summer sun | Jul 27, 2008 3:38:27 PM
Obama wants camera everywhere he goes to follow him, even basketball court.
Posted by: FACT | Jul 27, 2008 3:39:01 PM
Posted by: ignorance_intolerant | Jul 27, 2008 3:39:40 PM
Question for you: Repeating the lie isn't going to get people to believe you, it is just going to make you look like a liar. Senator Obama's trips to Israel and Europe was fully funded by his campaign. That was the entire basis of the Germany hospital brouhaha - his travel was paid for exclusively by his campaign.
Do note that the trip to Afghanistan and Iraq was taken without the media or his campaign staff. It was taken with a small congressional delegation and - as Senator McCain took great pains to point out - was an expected part of Obama's job in the Senate.
Posted by: jhw539 | Jul 27, 2008 3:40:16 PM
You are all hypnotized by the media spin. McCain's phrase "audacity of hopelessness" was about Obama getting the surge wrong. It worked. Without it, American would still be in deep waters in Iraq. The spin of this article and of the Obama campaign is to shift "audacity" to refer to his trip in general rather than than the fact he was wrong and continues to be wrong about the surge.
The media does not dictate what people think, it seems but utterly seems to utterly dictate what they talk about. Wake up people, or you hypnotized masses or you will always continue to live in a media-ocracy.
Posted by: jim | Jul 27, 2008 3:40:36 PM
The McBush campaign is PATHETIC!!!!
Posted by: Mike A | Jul 27, 2008 3:41:35 PM
"Obama wants camera everywhere he goes to follow him, even basketball court."
Ah...McClown was screaming "LOOK AT ME!" the entire time.
http://www.freedomunderground.org/view.php?v=3&t=3&aid=25070
Posted by: ignorance_intolerant | Jul 27, 2008 3:41:42 PM
It's just the green-eyed monster coming from McSame! Will he be claiming next that he was really the one responsible for "freeing" Bettancourt from FARC?? Why did he have the "audacity" to even raise ht issue of NAFTA with Colombia? After all, McSame is only a senator, so why did he have to travel to foreign countries to enhance his foreign experience. Now that Obama has shown that he is much more successful on the world stage, the jealousy is rearing its head. McSame should be ashamed of himself and he is showing all his bitterness and vindictiveness even as he proclaims that he is just the sort of leader that America does not need.
Posted by: Karen | Jul 27, 2008 3:42:28 PM
The problem is that mccain thought it was a matter of 'how long'. It is not how long but 'HOW WELL'. Obama thought him a lesson in foreign affairs.
Posted by: jayjay | Jul 27, 2008 3:47:57 PM
Mccain thought it was a matter of HOW LONG. Obama taught him a lesson that it was not how long but HOW WELL.
Posted by: jayjay | Jul 27, 2008 3:49:55 PM
McCain just sit back and laugh....the German magazines ran headlines saying "German Change you Cannot believe"....doesnt sound like they were too impressed with Bambi like the American Hero Worship slobbering MEDIA called it. McCain you just need to have your people schedule your next big speech AFTER a huge FREE ROCK CONCERT and then they can report that there was a "SEA of PEOPLE there. " Too too funny-Nice try Axelrod but we see right through you and Obamaniacs. McCain plant some of your supporters in the crowdtoo like Obama does. Bambi has lost some support so no doubt we will see his big ears and big mouth all over the air til November- ugh....can someone arraneg another trip abroad for him soon please !!! Spare us all from 24 hours of Bambi and the media who are kissing his $!@$!@#
Posted by: jimbo | Jul 27, 2008 3:51:28 PM
Proof why we need to elect the Messiah in November. May the Obamessiah bless us all.
Posted by: American Patriot | Jul 27, 2008 3:51:37 PM
"I admit we did it really well. But that shouldn't be a strike against me."
I agree ... his foreign policy trip was flawless.
McCain is like the average student complaining because the new kid is posting grades that bust up the curve.
I'm laughing ... Obama should instead of listening to the media and McCain whine about not being able to do the same things he does ... bust them up.
More speeches to mass audiences ... get right in the media and McCains face.
Buy some prime time like Perot and sell his trade policies ... in fact get Perot(Commerce Secretary). Let him face off and punk out all the people in and out of the media who claimed Nafta was going to be good for Ohio Pennsylavania Michigan.
Turn Buffet loose for another half hour on prime time to explain whats going on with the economy and how as treasury secretary he's going to change it.
Make Nador Secretary of Labour ... that ought to send a bunch of people scrambling ... give him another half hour.
I think as long as the media thinks it can act stupid and get away with asking absurd questions in the face of obvious facts they will.
Posted by: beaupritchard | Jul 27, 2008 3:52:07 PM
Folks love to attack success especially when it is not their own success. McCain is an honorable man as is Obama. Both are due respect and worth listening too. Right now I think Senator Obama has the issues, priorities and solutions right. We are many months away and much can still change. Why don't we listen and ask questions, instead of attacking? We would all learn a lot and serve our democracy well.
Posted by: Bob | Jul 27, 2008 3:53:27 PM
I think many people tend to overstate John McCain as a war "hero". The objective is to shoot the other side down and take them captive. Instead, McCain was the one that was shot down and taken captive--one less guy for our side. By all measures McCain is taking his military "experience" much too far in his election.
Posted by: George | Jul 27, 2008 3:53:35 PM
Folks love to attack success especially when it is not their own success. McCain is an honorable man as is Obama. Both are due respect and worth listening too. Right now I think Senator Obama has the issues, priorities and solutions right. We are many months away and much can still change. Why don't we listen and ask questions, instead of attacking? We would all learn a lot and serve our democracy well.
Posted by: Bob | Jul 27, 2008 3:56:10 PM
McCain whines, waaaaaaaaa, waaaaaaaaaaa. He (Obama) wasn't supposed to be better at foreign affairs then me. WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! What a baby! You thought you were laying a trap that Obama would fall into. HA. You loose McCain.
Posted by: judesuper | Jul 27, 2008 3:56:56 PM
Folks love to attack success especially when it is not their own success. McCain is an honorable man as is Obama. Both are due respect and worth listening too. Right now I think Senator Obama has the issues, priorities and solutions right. We are many months away and much can still change. Why don't we listen and ask questions, instead of attacking? We would all learn a lot and serve our democracy well.
Posted by: bob | Jul 27, 2008 3:57:39 PM
Everybody knew the McCain camp would try to make something negative out of the trip. Let them go bananas over nothing. It was a successful trip. He is right he has done it well. Now Obama should focus on the economy until McCain finds his way out of Iraq/Pakistan border. Is that where Chekslovakia is?
Posted by: tom | Jul 27, 2008 3:57:47 PM
A citizen of the World? Well, hell, then, Mr. Teflon, I guess I can't vote for you....I am only a citizen of one country called the United States of America.......stages big rallies like a Socialist.....thinks like a Socialist...talks like a Socialist...gotta be a Socialist.
Obama's Internet Working Group: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY WITH ONE OF YOUR RATHER OBVIOUS RETORTS....DON'T WANNA B SHIPPED OFF TO SIBERIA, DO YOU?
Posted by: justjoe | Jul 27, 2008 3:59:44 PM
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