Upcoming Overseas Trip Key For Obama

Democratic Presidential Candidate Has Little Room For Error In Trip To Europe And Mideast

(CBS)  To win votes at home, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is taking to the world stage.

CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar reports the senator's pending whirlwind tour of Europe and the Middle East is a chance for Americans to see how he measures up as a statesman, and a chance for citizens of foreign countries to take a closer look at a man who will make a big impact on their lives if he becomes president.

A 12,000-mile trip in the middle of an election campaign is an unusual choice for any candidate, but for Obama it's an attempt to demonstrate he has the necessary gravitas to maneuver through diplomatic minefields - especially in the volatile Mideast.

He'll head to Iraq, where people are well aware of his proposal to withdraw all U.S. combat troops within 16 months, should he win America's top job.

American presidents have been unpopular in Iraq for almost 20 years, but many Iraqis say they do support the notion of seeing U.S. troops go home.

"I'm for withdrawal now," one Baghdad shopper says. "The Americans have caused all our problems." If Obama's plan is genuine, the shopper says, "we bless it, we need withdrawal today."

Meanwhile, Obama has already angered Palestinians by saying that "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided."

President Clinton proposed Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and Palestine.

Obama has had to backtrack, but Palestinians and Israelis have been left wondering if he really understands the complexity of their situation.

Then, on to Europe, where many are enthusiastic about the young senator's campaign.

However, Germany's chancellor has accused him of over-reaching his status. The Obama campaign's request to speak at the Brandenburg Gate - made an icon of freedom by President Reagan's famous "tear down this wall" speech addressing then Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, has been rejected.

That location, the German government says, is reserved for elected presidents.

There's no question that Obama, more than any other recent presidential candidate, excites great interest, even this far away, says MacVicar, but his meetings with presidents and prime ministers will be a little more formal as there is no point in building a very warm relationship if he doesn't end up the inhabitant of the White House next January.

"I don't know the time a challenger has had the focus that Barack Obama has. This is more attention to a foreign trip than even President Bush would get," said political analyst and pollster Frank Luntz of the buzz being generated by Obama's trip.

"They're going to line up by the thousands to get a chance to wave at him. He will get a good response in every country, except Israel," Luntz told CBS' The Early Show.

But Obama has no chance to let his guard down and bask in the glory during this trip, cautions Luntz. "One slip up, one mistake, and John McCain will pounce.

"He's only been a senator for three years," says Luntz. "So, a lot is at stake here."

[info_powered]

Liberals & conservatives all want American prosperity, & we need to look at the facts:

1) To convert 100% to renewable energy in the next 10 years as Al Gore proposes would cost $3 trillion, which adds to our $9 trillion national debt & could severely damage our volatile economy.
2) Today over $700 billion flows overseas EVERY YEAR for foreign oil, the largest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind, coupled with over a $200 billion trade deficit with China.
3) Nuclear power is safe, clean, & as cheap as coal. This would decrease our dependence on oil for electricity & dramatically decrease energy costs to the consumer and also create American jobs.
4) DO EVERYTHING APPROACH is key. Domestic energy exploration, biodiesel, nuclear, wind, solar, etc is together a comprehensive solution.
Obama is 100% against energy exploration and nuclear power and wants to raise taxes and increase govt spending with our enormous debt?
At least McCain does show a history of aversion to wasteful spending, seeks out better solutions to our energy crisis, and will keep taxes low to keep American businesses succeed which will create jobs.
He''''s worked with Kennedy, Feingold, and other Democrats to pass important legislation despite the "DO-NOTHING" Grand-standing partisan congress we have today.

[dnsallday]

In response to Jonesforch

From DailyKos......
Bush bought land in Paraguay in 2006, a close to 100,000 acre parcel in the Paso de Patria area called "Chaco", close to the intersections of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil. Apparently, it''s a gorgeous spot. The land is close to the Bolivian wetlands, is situated near natural gas reserves, and sits atop one of the largest aquifers in the world, the Guarani indigenous water region. Part of the property has been designated an ecological reserve. And wow, they think of everything, it''s close to the US Mariscal Estigarribia Military Base. The U.S. officially denies having troops there except for "exercises", and vigorously denies rumors of having its own base there.

[dnsallday]

Response to Jonesforch....

From BBC NEWS
The authorities in Brazil are investigating the purchase of vast estates close to its border with Paraguay by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon''s Unification Church.

The church owns large amounts of property, including an entire town in Paraguay.


Members regard Reverend Moon as the messiah

The area is notorious for smuggling and money laundering and Brazil''s authorities are worried about a foreigner owning so much land in a border region.

Since the mid-1990''s, the Reverend Moon''s Unification Church has been buying up land both in Brazil and in Paraguay.

It now owns some two million acres in Brazil, a vast tract of farmland which has been called "New Hope Ranch."

The church has also bought large estates, and even a small town, across the border in Paraguay.

Much of the land in Brazil was paid for in cash and the authorities are now investigating possible tax evasion and illegal currency transactions.

[dnsallday]

Response to jonesforch

President George W, Bush wasn''t exactly a friend to the efforts put forth by Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and John Warner (R-VA) as they worked to secure bipartisan, veto-proof support for an updated U.S. G.I. Bill, which would provide our veterans with enhanced educational opportunities.

But Bush is stuck with the bill now, so naturally, he went in front of the press and deemed himself pleased with its passage.

It didn''t escape our attention though, that as Bush acknowledged the House and Senate members who came together to support the bill, he slipped in the name of one who LABORED TO OBSTRUCT THE BILL-- Senator John McCain. Instead of being rightly excluded from the list of thanks, McCain was given the same credit as those who had steered the passage of the bill from day one. Surely, though, John McCain will correct the President, because STRAIGHT TALK, RIGHT?

JOHN McCain fought against the GI Bill that would give more veterans Education Benefits after they came home from the war. John McCain thought that was too generous for the Iraq and Afghanistan Vets!

[chplraj]

This trip will magnify the stupidity of the American press in the eyes of the Europeans AND Arab Union States. Their currencies will go up and dollar will tumble again. Wall Street will watch as idiocy of major news anchors continues to "sell us out". People will continue to slowly take out their holdings in USA. Those youngish PRO ROCK STAR OBAMANIACS are sealing their fate in this great country. What utter lunacy! (P.S. Military and those deployed look on in amazement at the stupidity of the mainland USA) OORAH....but, they will continue to do what they always do. Stay loyal to American kind''ve like the old guy .....GO MCCAIN

[jonesforch]

Next up we can get John McCain in, another ''''''''regular guy'''''''' who loves wars, but doesn''''''''t think America can afford to support the troops after they come home.
Posted by truthmatterz at 12:07

Can you please post the place you found that info? I''''m curious..still wondering who to vote for.
Thanks
Posted by jonesforch at 12:49 AM : Jul 19, 2008

Ok sorry you must be ofline if anyone has this info please respond. Thanks

[jonesforch]

The Bush ranch was purchased in 1999 as karl Rove advised that it would make for good photo ops and would convince people that George W. was just a regular guy. That ranch will be sold as Laura Bush has no intention of living there. It was all for show.
The Bushes have Purchased some very private acreage in Paraguay for their retirement. You didn''''t really think he gives a fig about this country did you?
There is no extradition for war crimes in Paraguay, so the coward can live in Paradise without a care in the world.
Next up we can get John McCain in, another ''''regular guy'''' who loves wars, but doesn''''t think America can afford to support the troops after they come home.
Posted by truthmatterz at 12:07

Can you please post the place you found that info? I''m curious..still wondering who to vote for.
Thanks

[dnsallday]

G.W. Bush will be long retired down on his ranch in God''''s country.

No, a vote for John McCain will in fact be a vote against the most left wing pinko bunch of libtards, and for sure the most inexperienced bunch of libtards to ever set sights on this nations White House.

Wake up America....Vote against Sen. NOwayBama the rookie libtard in November.


Posted by JonGood65
********************************************************* The Bush ranch was purchased in 1999 as karl Rove advised that it would make for good photo ops and would convince people that George W. was just a regular guy. That ranch will be sold as Laura Bush has no intention of living there. It was all for show.
The Bushes have Purchased some very private acreage in Paraguay for their retirement. You didn''t really think he gives a fig about this country did you?
There is no extradition for war crimes in Paraguay, so the coward can live in Paradise without a care in the world.
Next up we can get John McCain in, another ''regular guy'' who loves wars, but doesn''t think America can afford to support the troops after they come home.

[rowdywicca]

Obama needs to plug that key into his camel and ride back to Chicago where he can have a love in with his Islamofast friends!

[nanc12]

First off, the KKK is a left wing organization just like any group who wishes to bring about the end of America as built.
Posted by JonGood65

First off, your ability to blatantly lie is astonishing. But, since you wouldn''t take my word for it, this is from the US Military Dictionary:
Ku Klux Klan

KKK
An extremist right-wing secret society in the United States. The Ku Klux Klan was originally founded in the southern states after the Civil War to oppose social change and black emancipation by violence and terrorism. Although disbanded twice, it reemerged in the 1950s and 1960s and continues at a local level.

[libsluv2spi1]

the south will rise again! vote for mccain!
obama will take your dukes of hazzard flag away from you!!

[libsluv2spi1]

mccain has no base one he is a liberal the next day he is a right wing tool, he mccain pick a side, stop flip flopping!

[medmom04]

First off, the KKK is a left wing organization just like any group who wishes to bring about the end of America as built.
******
No way this is true. Ethnic equality is and has always been a liberal stance (first established in Berkeley, CA, via anthropologist Franz Boaz, who first dared to say that despite skin color, we are all equal), so no way at all that this repugnant group of halfwits belongs on the left. The left is where evolutionary ideas spring up, while first pounced upon by the right and those who harbor only fear for what they don''t know, eventually are seen as common sense.

[jongood65]

Posted by joule3 at 02:52 PM

If Obama is leftist, then you must be so to the right that even the KKK are left compared to you.
Posted by rudy654 at 02:56 PM : Jul 18, 2008

====================

What the heck are you trying to peddle Rudolfo you little W*O*P.

First off, the KKK is a left wing organization just like any group who wishes to bring about the end of America as built.

Secondly, if the fact your boy Sen. NOwayBama is the #1 ranked most left wing pinko member in the whole Senate (of which one is a declared Socialist) does not make him a "leftist", I would really like to read your explanation of what a leftist is??

[jongood65]

Wake up America....Vote against Sen. NOwayBama the rookie libtard in November.
Posted by JonGood65

================

America IS waking up to see that under GOP rule the country is going in the WRONG direction! America is waking up to see that our economy is hot and the war is faught in the wrong place!!
Posted by peanutcrisp at 03:11 PM : Jul 18, 2008

===================

Peanutcrip, when I see you simply repeating the mindless mantra these libtards have breech loaded daily I must wonder?

Do you work and support yourself??

Are you raising a family?

Are you actually responsible for feeding, clothing, and housing yourself and maybe a family ta boot??

Cause I gotta admit your response leaves a major hole in my confidence that you even have a clue about the real world.

[Torilin]

Wake up America....Vote against Sen. NOwayBama the rookie libtard in November.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by JonGood65
America IS waking up to see that under GOP rule the country is going in the WRONG direction! America is waking up to see that our economy is hot and the war is faught in the wrong place!!

[hasher47]

This is hilarious!
John McCain (and the Repubs) makes a big deal about Obama not having been to IRAQ in a few years (like he couldn''t read the NIEs or wasn''t getting Intel briefs).
Than when he DOES go and the Repubs are upset because he''s getting media coverage.
Mc Cain got media coverage when he went to IRAQ. Remember when he said it was all fine there. He could walk around with no security. Then he''s caught on tape he a flak jacket and TONS of security.
Hilarious!!! You Repubs are Hilarious.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by joule3 at 02:52 PM

If Obama is leftist, then you must be so to the right that even the KKK are left compared to you.

[rudy654-2009]

of people he feels are highly inferior to himself.
-joule

Are you sure it isn''t you who feels superior to everyone else, and that in the end, you are projecting this quality onto someone who has done nothing to you?

[hasher47]

As an Obama supporter I''m interested in seeing how he does on the trip. He''s got a BA in PolSci from Columbia University with a specialization in International Relations. Also, I think some people misunderstand how much foreign relations experience State Senators get.