arrival in london
::
Well, the cable news desk clerks are chirping away.
Most of it is, "Was this trip worth it for Obama?"
Hell, they should know their own answer. The media sent themselves on this trip. Duh?
My take, Obama accomplished what he needed to, that was look presidential in a leadership role.
That was the trip in a nutshell, folks. Barack Obama could not continue to have McCain and the RNC having a countdown clock on Obama not going to Iraq or never have been to Afghanistan. This trip, silenced McCain and Company. We know that Obama can stand on any world stage, with any world leader and represent the United States of America as the President. That is what this trip was about.
The second aspect was just a god sent spilled into Obama's lap. Iraq. The whole der Spiegel article by Prime Minister al-Maliki was a bombshell. The article conveyed al-Maliki's openness to back the 16 month timetable of the Obama Iraq Withdrawal Plan. Then the White House attempted to spin it as "the PM is misunderstood or misquoted", but then it was the Prime Minister's Representative that said U.S. Troops out 2010, which is Obama's timetable, again.
That was a gift that kept giving, by photo ops, video ops "in English", so there was no misunderstanding or misquote. Then the Bush Administration comes up with their own "time horizon". Yes, roll your eyes, here.
Another shocker, the troop reciprocation to Barack Obama. They cheered him, wanted to see him, all had that "Rolling Stones" magazine cover for him to sign it, they wanted to speak with him. So, this notion of the troops are for John McCain is just a bunch of pure, B.S.
Obama's Berlin speech, tough but with that elegant touch. To see Germans waving American flags and over 200K to hear the skinny, bi-racial man from the United States was just startling. For the first time, I really saw Obama as the next President of the United States. George W. Bush nor John McCain can go to the Victory Column and garner a crowd like that. As my sister said, "the last time I saw anyone from Europe with an American flag was when they were burning it and a picture of George W. Bush." So, true.
So, Obama is back in the states tomorrow, after seeing the dignitaries in London. He will have a solo press conference and will be with Tom Brokaw, Sunday on Meet the Press.
Obama has taken a bunch of wrongful hits this week. Really due to candidate John McCain, his campaign hand wringing, and his constant sour grapes. Geez, the Republicans are the ones who dared Obama to go abroad and he did, now they have to deal with the consequences, which is massive free media for Obama.
But one thing is still constant, John McCain still want townhall meetings. And I said it in the beginning and I will repeat it now, why would Obama give up any media edge to John McCain? Sure, McCain has always been the "media darling", but he just is not Barack Obama.
Change is coming.
hardball chirping....
::
obama in paris with president sarkozy
::
McCain rejects 'audacity of hopelessness' for Iraq
Republican presidential candidate John McCain, ridiculing Barack Obama for "the audacity of hopelessness" in his policies on Iraq, said Friday that the entire Middle East could have plunged into war had U.S. troops been withdrawn as his rival advocated.
Speaking to an audience of Hispanic military veterans, McCain stepped up his criticism of Obama while the Illinois senator continued his headline-grabbing tour of the Middle East and Europe. The Arizona Republican contended that Obama's policies — he opposed sending more troops to Iraq in the "surge" that McCain supported — would have led to defeat there and in Afghanistan.
"We rejected the audacity of hopelessness, and we were right," McCain said, a play on the title of Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope."
McCain laid out a near-apocalyptic chain of events he said could have resulted had Obama managed to stop the troop buildup ordered by President Bush: U.S. forces retreating under fire, the Iraqi army collapsing, civilian casualties increasing dramatically, al-Qaida killing cooperative Sunni sheiks and finding safe havens to train fighters and launch attacks on Americans, and civil war, genocide and a wider conflict. continue
::
It is the economy stupid, can not be said enough, foreclosures up 121%
This is not good, period.
The number of households facing the foreclosure process more than doubled in the second quarter compared to a year ago, according to data released Friday.
Nationwide, 739,714 homes received at least one foreclosure-related notice during the quarter, or one in every 171 U.S. households, Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac Inc. said. That’s up 121 percent from the second quarter of 2007.
Soft housing sales, declining home values, tighter lending standards and a sluggish U.S. economy have left strapped homeowners with few options to avoid foreclosure. Many can’t find buyers or owe more than their home is worth and can’t refinance into an affordable loan.
Story continues below ↓advertisement
Foreclosure filings increased year-over-year in all but two states, North Dakota and Alabama.
Nevada, California, Arizona, and Florida continued to clock in the highest foreclosure rates. One in every 43 Nevada households received a filing during the quarter. continue
And The Bonddad has the rundown, here.
::
You know things are bad, when the other side is looking for your undergraduate "thesis"
I mean, who knows where their college, undergraduate thesis/paper is? Hell, most colleges don't even hold on to this. Graduate work, different story.
Well, when cable desk clerks need to fill in the holes, for a slow newsday? You get this:
::
and....
Obama's Paris Pictures are here.....
Obama-Sarkozy Press Conference is here.....
Obama Arrival in London, England pics here.....
Analysis: Echoes of Clinton's campaign in race.......
Obama camp cites Pentagon in scrapping troop visit.....
Missed Morning Break? Read, here.....
I will post Obama in London tomorrow, check back for pics, and 'This Week With Barack Obama' will be posted Sunday evening...peace....
Home Page
Share
