Obama's Overseas Trip Expected to Be Carefully Scripted

In Europe and the Middle East, Obama is expected to avoid spontaneity to minimize the odds of a gaffe

By Kenneth T. Walsh

July 16, 2008 RSS Feed Print

When Barack Obama travels to Europe and the Middle East next week, it will most likely be a tightly scripted, controlled affair designed to minimize his potential to make a devastating gaffe, Democratic strategists predict.

Some worry that any Obama stumble could intensify voter concern that he lacks the experience to be commander in chief, one of his main vulnerabilities. "Look for carefully scripted statements and comments," says a senior Democratic insider. "I doubt he will be drawn into detailed discussions of sensitive topics with the media." In fact, he is being urged by some Democrats to play it safe by hewing closely to his campaign's well-established talking points.

One big challenge for Obama will be how to handle his expected discussions with Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. troops in Iraq during the troop surge that has helped lessen violence in the country. (Petraeus is widely considered the architect of the surge policy.)

What Obama advisers want to avoid is a situation where Petraeus undermines the presumptive Democratic candidate's stated policy—such as by saying a phased withdrawal would jeopardize the hard-won gains of U.S. troops, ignore their sacrifices, and put the future of Iraq at risk. "That would reverberate around the country in a negative way," says the Democratic insider.

Of course, Petraeus faces a big choice of his own. He must decide whether to back the victory goal sought by Republican presidential candidate John McCain or to say that the military could make Obama's withdrawal plan workable—or find some less controversial middle ground.

Tags:
David Petraeus,
presidential election 2008,
campaigns,
Barack Obama

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Secretaryapart of 9:40PM December 13, 2009

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Lotexplore of 12:36AM December 11, 2009

How anyone in this country making less than $500,000 per year could even consider returning a republican administration to power is almost beyond belief. It is difficult to remember any promise, cause, or action that has succeeded unless one inlcudes in the definition of success the loss of American jobs, creating a massive deficit where there had been none, debasement of the dollar relative to almost currencies (inflation), dictatorship rule, the Iraq war would be paid for by the Iraqis and that flowers would be thrown at our feet, global warming was a falsehood.

The only answer that comes to mind is that instead of being for America and regaining our strength and our soul, being for team Republican or team Democrat is of utmost importance. No one likes to admit they have been wrong. But please consider, how are we better off than eight years ago. Do we have better health coverage? How about any kind of pension? Is inflation under control? Have our homes maintained their value? Is it less expensive to take vacations to almost any other country in the world? Is it cheaper to travel even in our own country? Relative to inflation has your spendable income gone up? Are even taxes less than they were eight years ago? Do we trust banks with our money? Is your job more secure or can it be moved offshore? How about the immigration problem? Less illegal immigrants? Do we treat each other with more kindness and understanding or is it more like dog eat dog? Has our government been open? Has our government placed itself above the law?

Richard Rogstad of CA 5:23PM July 18, 2008

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