I waiting to see how many people will vote against their own interests in order to keep Obama out of the White House. We will get what we deserve.

Karzai looked more relaxed than I've seen him in years. Al Maliki agrees with Obama's time line. Shimon Perez praised him and said the future belongs to the young. The King Abdullah personally drove Obama to the airport. 200,000 Germans came out to hear him waving American flags. Sarkozy says Obama is his buddy. Brown is polite (he's Bush's boy) but Parliament and Londoners are as excited as everyone else.

The tour can only help. It's OK with me that the world likes us again.

Obama 08!

Spare us Brad, undecided and observant? I think not. Why not be honest? You're obviously pro-McCain, just admit it. I don't know about your being observant either, McCain did not focus on domestic issues - all he consistently talked about was the "SURGE" and whether it has "succeeded" or maybe it is "succeeding", whether it started before or after the Anbar Awakening, etc., etc., - he really wasn't very clear about all of this.

Also, if you believe McCain kept his composure then you set the bar low. For any thinking individual, McCain came across as very juvenile.
He & his compaign constantly complained about Senator Obama's trip overseas, conveniently forgetting, or hoping the American public would, that he continously taunted Obama prior to him making the trip. And let's all not forget, McCain made several overseas trips after securing his nomination AND also gave speeches while abroad. If I recall correctly, all the media commentaries were about how "presidential" he was looking while the Democrats were still "battling it out." No comments about McCain being "presumptious", "arrogant" or "cocky."

The amount of media coverage is NOT what's relevant, it's the TYPE of coverage.

I'm pro-Obama and very, very proud of the confident and exceptionally composed candidate I support ... and I'm not even a Democrat!

Brad, Strong:

Obama already said he's going there as a senator (citizen of US), the way that he received in Europe doesn't label him 'presumptuous winner'. Obama already also said that having better relations abroad improves conditions at home.

Andy,

as far as I know, a US senator IS an American citizen.

McCain is a good candidate, he has his strengths and people should truly considerate what each can provide for the US. Obama is far from perfect but what he has done in Europe is a positive thing. There are so many contradictory people in America that it just boggles my mind.

I give a thumbs up to McCain for staying at home and being focused on domestic issues, as well as keeping his compsoure during the disgusting bias of our mainstream news. I can't wait to see these two debate it out in the months to come.

------------------------------

This is a big pile of cowflop. I don't know if you bothered to notice, but John McCain has been to all of the same places and more, and giving speeches in all those places, all during this campaign season.

Instead of whining about "acting and prancing" as if he is already the president (in my mind, your words don't fall very far short of calling him "uppity" but I'll leave that alone), why don't you give us some real evidence of it? Did he introduce himself to even a single person overseas as the current president?

One thing you are obviously ignorant of is the fact that he went on this trip at least in part because he was criticized by the McCain campaign for not having gone.

Finally, don't give us this garbage about this trip being a "spit in the face" to American voters. You yourself are "acting and prancing" as if you speak for the entire country, and that is certainly not the case. You are just a single blogger with your own opinion, and that's it. Don't get all "uppity" and pretend otherwise.

While there he did what he does best....being a rock star Americal Idol slick Chicago politician who uses a teleprompter exceedingly well while speaking to large crowds. He never says anything of substance, but he sure does say nothing in a most beautiful manner! Better he should to go Hollywood!

Personally, the only place I can see any foreign policy from Obsama taking us is......right into the dumper!

Was for Hillary, now for McCain!

PUMA

I can't remember having that combination. Being intelligent is certainly not the only criteria for being president, but it is abundantly clear that McCain doesn't hold a candle in that department. I don't think McCain is stupid, far from it. He's just not at that level.

The world problem also includes us, the next President needs to be a part of the world leaders. It would have been premature had you gone while still running for the Democratic nod, but you needed to go now as the next possible leader. Repubs can't have it both ways, if you don't go, your international credentials are questioned, if you do, your domestic care for the U.S. comes into question. We need a leader flexible enough to handle both, we can't drill our way out, according to T. Boone Pickens, how can we question the leading oil-man in this country?

The housing crisis ship has left port, and oil profits will still be sought after by the oil companies, unless you're the one buying all these barrels, I don't see the connection to you and high gas prices the new McCain add implies....

So no, I don't see how including America with the rest of the world can be seen as a negative....the world was made part of our economy years ago by all of our corporations, we need a leader to try to get us on board.

All posters spewing their hatred about Obama need to be outed for voting Bushy in to office, not one term but two terms.

Stupid
Ignorant
Greedy
Republican Trolls

He went as a presidential candidate. If he had not been a candidate, he wouldn't have gone. However, the first part of the trip was paid by the government as a fact-finding and meet & greet session. That's what he did. Talk to leaders, talk to troops, talk to commanders. The second part of the trip was campaign financed, so he added a speech to the people of Europe and the world addressing his view of foreign relations. That was the candidate who as a candidate is nothing more than a citizen.

Get it?

Sorry, the ignorance is bringing out my mean streak.

Obama 08/12.

Let;'s face it, Obama captures the attention of the world, no matter if you're liberal or conservative. It's not like more right-wing media sources trumpeted McCain's successes this past week. Even they realize that criticizing Obama is a better news story than anything good that McCain does.

Brad – Where were these words from you when John McCain was doing EXACTLY the same thing when he clinched his party's presumed nomination?

All you haters really need to think about what you are saying before you post. There are a lot of contradictions here that are really funny.

Keep in mind that even though Obama was in other countries, it was by no means any form of a vacation. Vacations mean that you are relaxing and getting away from it all which is nowhere near what he was doing.

The world is watching and the world leaders need to know who they may be dealing with over the next 4-8 years. Keep in mind that domestic issues are NOT the only things our president has to worry about.

Brad – McCain also took a tour around the world after he locked up the election. This is nothing new, so why knock Obama?

- The trip to the middle east was paid by tax payers and the trip to Europe by his campaign. They served two different purposes.

McCain/Hillary for President 2008

This small tour has proven how greatly this country has missed the mark on international relations. And how the world has missed it, too.

"From an undecided, observant position, I think this whole trip of Obama's just goes to show how extremely arrogant he is. How dare this man prance around other countries speaking and acting as though he is already the President of the United States. In this country, we vote people into office. Until this guy gets the majority vote, and the votes of the electoral college, he ought to stay here at home and focus on domestic issues. To act as though he owns the presidency is disrespectful towards our election system, and is a symbolic "spit in the face" to American voters.

I give a thumbs up to McCain for staying at home and being focused on domestic issues, as well as keeping his compsoure during the disgusting bias of our mainstream news. I can't wait to see these two debate it out in the months to come."

Brad, Obama repeatedly said he is there as a citizen, why do morons like you only see things the way you want to, not the way they are?

AND, McCain did NOT spend his week "being focused on domestic issues" he spent his entire week attacking Obama, very scurrilously I might add, used the word SURGE waaaaaay too many times to count and did and said NOTHING to further his own positions.

McCain will not help put America back on its good standing with the rest of the world nor get your own country back on track. Canada for one, who opted out of the Iraq war because our thoughts were EXACTLY the same as those held by Obama. We would only feel more distanced from America if McCain were elected.

I don't understand the brilliant ignorance of Repubs like you. McCain did the same right after he became the presumptive nominee. In fact he has been badgering Obama into going for sometime now.

And now that Obama has being embraced by the entire planet (200k in Berlin – are you kidding me??) You guys want to call him arrogant? You want to give a thumbs up to McCain for staying home?

Are you even paying attention to what is going on?

WOW ?!?

At any rate
Obama 08'

I guess that we are still those bitter Americans clinging to our guns and religion in his eyes.

But, he is also the most nauseating, arrogant, egomaniac that has ever disgraced the political scene.

This former Democrat will not vote for a phony, media-created American-idol-myth. Never Obama!

I will vote for a genuine American hero. McCain 08!

Regardless of what happens – whether McCain becomes president or Obama, I am proud of Obama for all the hard work and inspiration he has spreaded through the black community and throughout the every community in our great country. Obama will be recorded in history as running the best campaign in the USA. He has represented our country well, and we should be so proud that so many countries around the world admire us.

Look at all the people in the countries around the world who showed up to see Obama. How many of us in the United States know about what is going on in Europe elections? However, the world admires us enough to keep up with what we are doing. This country that we live in is truly blessed, and we should be so proud that we represent freedom, unity, and peace for all.

I am an African-American who loves the United States of America. This is my country, this is your country, and I am proud of our nations leaders. Barack Obama has proven he can hang with the best.

Thanks Obama for representing our great country!!!!!!!

Item 1 needs to be rectified by the media – we need both candidates covered so that we can make an informed choice in November

Item 2 & 3 demonstrate arrogance on the part of a candidate and may actually be in violation of the US Constitution – he is making foreign policy, which the Constitution explicitly states IS ONLY the job of the President and his appointed representatives......

Censorship of comments critical of McCain? Looks that way!

Like McCain did not go to Mexico and Canada. Get you facts straight before speaking out.

Obama is right to go abroad. Most of the trip was as part of a congressional delegation. He IS on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, after all.

There are a vast number of issues that affect everyone in the world. The pollution China creates drifts to L. A. and the air we pollute is breathed by those elsewhere.

As long as we share the world's resources of air and water with others, as well as terrorist/nuclear proliferation threats, interacting with other countries is essential. These things ARE domestic issues as well. Obama is taking the holistic, long view.

You know McCain was just in Canada and Columbia giving speeches just last month, right? The difference : Nobody cared.

McCain GOADED Obama into this trip. He took it and was wildly successful, now you want to complain. Wow.

Obama 08'