KEY POINTS:
What did Democratic candidate Barack Obama's trip achieve?
1) Man in the middle
Obama was feted by presidents, prime ministers and royalty on a tour which showed off his ability to charm politicians of different backgrounds and ideological persuasions while looking supremely presidential. Which gives plausibility to his argument that he will be able to work with both Democrats and Republicans.
2) Narack's buddy backslap
He subtly manages to look like the senior partner with famous elected office-holders - keen to share his star wattage - despite only being a junior senator from Illinois. This is somehow achieved by his natural height advantage; confident, relaxed invasion of personal space and a preference for matey arm grabbing and back patting. However, it didn't work so well with Chancellor Angela Merkel - as it didn't with Hillary Clinton.
3) A figure apart
He surely lessened concerns at home among the part of the US electorate worried about letting a rookie loose on the world stage. As a speech, his Tiergarten address wasn't one of his best but no other living politician could have drawn that crowd or, for that matter, a crowd in London chanting his name. For all the comparisons with John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and the first-term Tony Blair, Obama is looking more and more like a figure apart. He appears to walk largely free of ideological and tribal, forces and inspires the politically cynical, sleaze-weary young to suspend disbelief in (at least one) politician.
4) Belief or backlash?
The sight of Europeans fawning over Obama may have sparked something of a backlash among some sections of the electorate and Republicans have accused Obama of an arrogant, presumptuous, premature victory lap. media commentators have questioned his hubris. But a less confident stride would have confirmed criticism that he is a dangerous newbie not ready to be President. Surely Americans want a leader who can naturally dominate a room and take charge.
5) Credibility gap
Perhaps some at home would have felt Obama should have stayed in the US to concentrate on domestic issues. But he had to address the credibility gap shown in polls between himself and rival John McCain over who was best suited to be Commander in Chief. If he was going to make a foreign trip it was best he get it out of the way now. He still has three months to go before the election. Apart from a row over Obama's failure to meet wounded American soldiers in Germany ("He made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops, seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras," a McCain ad said) the trip was largely incident free.
* McCain's strategy
Last week McCain - like Hillary Clinton before him - accused the media of giving Obama a free ride. McCain began taking a tougher, more negative tone with his rival, saying on radio: "With all the breathless coverage from abroad, and with Senator Obama now addressing his speeches to 'the people of the world', I'm starting to feel a little left out. Maybe you are too." McCain claimed Obama "would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign."
This is a change from McCain's approach of being seen to stay above the fray, although party and campaign surrogates have previously dished dirt.
For someone with a reputation for foreign/security expertise, McCain's factual gaffes are mounting. He referred to the "Iraq-Pakistan border"; has twice referred to Czechoslovakia, a country that ceased to exist in 1993; mixed up Sunnis and Shiites; and identified Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as president of Germany.
* The bottom line
The latest Gallup poll yesterday gave Obama a definite bounce, with a lead of 9 points over McCain. Polls early last week showed a tightening race, with Obama's lead about 4 points. Will desire for the potential feel-good factor of having a leader who is actually liked abroad influence voters or will a desire for stability and continuity push them towards the apparently 'safer' option of McCain? Obama appears with this trip to have erased some of the 'risk' attached to voting for him.
- NZ HERALD STAFF, AGENCIES
