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This whole Obama royal progress through the provinces is a bummer, as they used to say, a vanity trip, in the ancient sense, too. He has come to Europe to distance himself from it: it's ours (U.S.), and the Euorpeans should keep away from it; we'll dine together and listen to each other but when push comes to shove you know who's the boss. That may sound crazy here on ET. Maybe Obama is a latecomer to the imperial party, anyway. Even more remarkable is the role of Israeli/Jewish politics and history in the trip: Israel and two holocaust museums in a week. Has anyone ever heard of the 'Jewish vote' back where Obama comes from? What exactly was his reason for going to Israel: to visit the Palestinians? The endlessly superficial comment in the U.S. is that the trip was arranged to 'burnish his credentials'. May Obama win, I'm already tired of his non-stop smile. Weiman politicians were at home in the center of their capital. It's hardly remarkable that they appeared there. I'm disappointed that any Berliner will turn out to see him. What for?
by Quentin on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 04:39:34 AM EST
Even more remarkable is the role of Israeli/Jewish politics and history in the trip: Israel and two holocaust museums in a week. Has anyone ever heard of the 'Jewish vote' back where Obama comes from?

Well on an entirely superficial level, he's going to be the man who withdraws and leaves the Ravening hordes with the playing field in Iraq. This may stress the local Neuclear armed gang, so visiting and making them see that they are not just being abandoned and that their fears are considered is probably a positive move in preventing them from Bombing the Iranians before the election. They may not have votes, but they can make the landscape of the upcoming presidency far more difficult than it needs to be.

As for the visit to Europe, his percieved weakness is in Foreign policy. Having him travel the world and seem more statesman-like than the current president is hardly a negative move on his part.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 05:02:28 AM EST
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I think most people around these parts have a quite clear idea about how Obama will handle the Palestinian issue: He's gonna screw them over, just like every US president since the Suez Crisis. What else is new?

I'll still prefer the guy who doesn't say he's gonna bomb Iran to the guy who says he is gonna bomb Iran.

- Jake

Chthulu for president. Why vote for the lesser evil?

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 12:08:36 PM EST
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