Asia Trip "Snuck Up" on Obama

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On "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday, Jonathan Weisman, from the Wall Street Journal, said the president's trip to Asia this week has "kind of snuck up on him but actually there are a lot of issues on the table."

Weisman noted issues including the new government in Japan, the Singapore conference with Asian countries, his visit to China ("the great banker of the United States") and the stalled free trade agreement with South Korea.

"This is the test of his vow to engage our enemies as well as our friends," Weisman said of a potential handshake between President Obama and the Burmese leader in Singapore . "Nobody has talked to the Burmese Junta and this is the president of the United States."

Moderator and senior White House correspondent Bill Plante mentioned that while the volatile south Asian economy may not be a "sexy" headline grabbing topic, it will front and center next week.

Watch the full interview as well as a special "Behind the Scenes" with Fernando Suarez at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier above. "Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

[stn_sage]

This president has...unfortunately...many things that he MUST address now.

He would be wiser to travel less and make greater use of the telephone and teleconferences.

Other world leaders would understand...and most would oblige him!

If things go undone because he's using his time this way...then it's a result of bad planning on his part...and the public shouldn't excuse it!

He's supposed to be an intelligent man...he should know he has to maximize his use of time...again, if he fails to, it's his fault!