From The Road
July 18, 2008 2:58 PM

During Upcoming Foreign Trip, Obama Will Try Not To Play The Part of The President

By
Maria Gavrilovic
Topics
Barack Obama
(CBS)
From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(CHICAGO) Barack Obama's senior foreign policy advisers spoke to reporters for the first time this afternoon about his upcoming trip to Europe and the Middle East. Advisers Susan Rice and Denis McDonough outlined broad goals for the trip, which is largely intended to focus on national security.

Rice said Obama will meet with world leaders to exchange views and listen, rather than negotiating new policy.

"There's one president of the United States at any given time and we will honor and respect that," Rice said firmly.

Although the campaign maintains Obama will not be playing the part of President when he is abroad, he will be meeting with high-level officials on each of his stops throughout Europe and the Middle East.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and King Abdullah are all scheduled to meet with the presumptive nominee.

No meetings are planned with Iranian or Syrian officials.

McDonough said that Obama spoke to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice weeks ago about the trip and described their conversation as "productive." The campaign has been working with ambassadors in each country as well.

Questions about the location of Obama's much anticipated speech in Berlin still remain unanswered. McDonough said Obama did not want to speak at the Brandenburg Gate because he believes it would be too presumptuous. Both John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan spoke at Brandenburg Gate during their presidencies.

The campaign is still looking for a location in Berlin and would not confirm or deny reports that he will speak at Berlin's Victory Column. The speech in Germany will underscore the "shared values and goals" between the United States and Europe, the campaign said.

Add a Comment See all 22 Comments
by a202518 July 20, 2008 4:36 PM EDT
Wake up America, We simply can not endure 4 more years of the same old stuff. Listen carefully and look around you. We need a new path. The existing one is not working.
Reply to this comment
by rowdywicca July 20, 2008 3:12 PM EDT
Posted by chplraj at 04:22 PM : Jul 19, 2008

Well said!
Reply to this comment
by rowdywicca July 20, 2008 3:11 PM EDT
Obama is a freaking JUNIOR SENATOR from Illinois who hasn''t a freaking clue what''s going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is HILARIOUS that his arrogance thinks he can take credit for the negotiations of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES negotiations that have been going on for YEARS!!!
Reply to this comment
by lordmi July 20, 2008 6:54 AM EDT
Dear Maria, during Your reports, please, try not to pretend, that You know, more , than him.

Thank You
Reply to this comment
by vincan-2009 July 20, 2008 12:43 AM EDT
And you have stuck us with the most corrupt and evil liars to ever be president and vice president, Bush and Cheney. I will vote of Senator Obama and will be happy when he is our president. Our country''s future depends on it since so much wrong has to be undone. All the world was with us when we were attacked 9/11, but when Bush wanted war in Iraq for no earthly reason, every other country knew it was wrong except the republicans in America.
Reply to this comment
by ariel133 July 19, 2008 7:25 PM EDT
The "Liberal News" is disgustingly biased, and those who fall for all the half truths are naive and vulnerable. Obama is in a word : NOT QUALIFIED TO LEAD A COUNTRY. ( ok, so it was more than one word)
Change with Obama means many mistakes, many lies, many false hopes, and many wrong steps. It is NOT the time again for any such nonsense. It''''s like hiring a person fresh out of college to be CEO of a company-- NOT WISE
Reply to this comment
by chplraj July 19, 2008 7:22 PM EDT
This guy OBAMANIAC is no Rock Star, however, the background we don''t know about kind''ve reads like one. (in real life) Mother never married to a Muslim dad from Kenya, who had a wife back in the homeland. Then, she chose another Muslim and married him and went off to Indonesia (a Christian-hating country and anti-American) Then, somewhere she had "food stamps"? However, the fact is that in Hawaii he was in private schools paid for by white grandparents that cost $15-$20k per year and was never a poor little half/black,half white boy. His grandmother was V.P. of Hawaiian bank and she wasn''t a racist. In fact, Michelle Obama published her famous thesis (a racist paper not backed by Princeton staff) on a scholarship paid for by you and me. YUP, some rock star alright. In fact, presidential material, right out of a JFK legend. In fact, to compare this guy to the Kennedy family is nuts. (poor Kennedy''s should know better than to put this guy in their league) LOL
Reply to this comment
by chplraj July 19, 2008 7:18 PM EDT
Well,for the love of God, WE CERTAINLY never even imagined that he could. LOL OORAH
Reply to this comment
by patriot12436 July 19, 2008 9:26 AM EDT
I agree with bswalker. I don''t believe the American people will vote someone this inexperienced into office , especially with so many unanswered questions.
Reply to this comment
by patriot12436 July 19, 2008 9:23 AM EDT
I think this will be very hard for obama to not act like the president, since in his mind he already is.
Reply to this comment
See all 22 Comments
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...