Obama’s Trip
July 23, 2008 5 Comments
Obama’s trip really bugs me. I don’t have a problem with him heading abroad to educate himself on foreign policy (although it would have been more credible if he had done it a bit earlier in his presidential run). What I do have a problem with is the manner in which he has done it. First of all, this could have been done with less fanfare. Yes, he’s a presidential candidate and reporters are everywhere, but his campaign also has the ability to control that press to a point. If this is a truly ‘educational’ trip it could have been done with a bit more reverance for the troops he is visiting.
Beyond his ‘fact finding’ in Iraq and Afghanistan I don’t really understand his premature victory lap through other Middle Eastern countries and Europe. While our foreign policy will be his primary responsibility as president, the most pressing concerns were addressed with the first two countries. So why the other visits? It seems a bit indulgent. Surely with a foreign policy team reported to number 300 he could have been informed on the issues without the PR.
I also don’t like that he is meeting at the executive level. He is not an executive. He should be meeting with his peers. At the most, maybe with the foreign equivelant of a Sec. of State. To do anything else is to step beyond his current station and give the impression he has accomplished something that he hasn’t…yet. It also makes the suggestion that these positive meetings with foreign leaders should sway voters back home. This is dangerous because it smacks of letting other countries choose our president.
My feelings about this trip would be no different if it were Senator McCain doing so, but for now, he isn’t. It also reminds me of a similar trip made by John Kerry that underminded our foreign policy for the remainder of the campaign when he promised a different strategy if he was elected.
An added mistake of the Obama campaign is that this trip plays to McCain’s strengths. Obama cannot hope to erase McCain’s edge on foreign policy even when he returns home. This is time that could be better spent on issues where Obama holds more power.
Excellent post. I also feel that Obama has taken on a role that he’s not yet accomplished. He really should take a step back.
From a strategy point of view, I don’t think I agree with you here PC. I think what Obama is doing is working pretty much perfectly so far as getting the media attention. The US news is watching him closely while McCain is speaking to party empty rooms.
“John” who?
I think by doing these large, bold moves, Obama is keeping the light on himself and leaving McCain to the 2nd tier news groups.
The thing is, I believe that a lot of people WANT to like Obama for a whole host of reasons, right or wrong. If he can keep people looking right at him, he is likely to continue to build his base. People feel like they already know McCain. He’s the insider. He’s been there for eons. Obama is the new fresh face.
If you’ll pardon the comparison, he’s the iPhone while John looks more like a regular cell phone.
Not saying it’s right. Just that I think it’s working.
-Turkish Prawn
TP there is some doubt that this is doing anything other than generating some media attention. I don’t think it’s adding any voters which I believe was the original intention. If the goal was to maintain the advantage they had, I suppose they have accomplished that, but remember that the true campaign doesn’t start until after the conventions. Then it’s a whole new ballgame.
This may or may not come back to haunt Obama as a wasted effort, but either way I think it tends to make him look like an arrogant S.O.B.
Also, let’s remember that the spin and coverage isn’t of Obama’s own creation; sure, it’s a natural thing he should have expected, and certainly was planning on, but it’s a function of the media, not him. As for the arguments that he shouldn’t be pretending to some knowledge he doesn’t have… well, that’s what Bush has done for the past 8 years. Obama is more about intelligence and less about experience. He’s showing that he’s got the brains to make this work, even if he doesn’t have the experience.
And, while he’s “not yet president,” he is sure fooling a lot of people… this is a complete media coup. I approve that message.
I think all this proves is that there’s a lot of hype surrounding a guy with zero track record…
On a positive note I think this demonstrates that all the liberal talk of the world hating us for the last eight years was complete silliness. They just hated Bush. They love Americans just fine.