Europeans want economic results, not more grand speeches from Obama

[ScreamingEagle]

Euros still like Obama but the glitter is gone....

April 1

Obama remains nearly as popular as he was during his last European visit, as a presidential candidate, when hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to hear him speak. Referring to this week's visit, one newspaper declared the return of "Obamania."

But the initial love affair may be cooling somewhat. Obama is still seen as the antithesis of Bush, but he is no longer a fresh-faced candidate. Rather, he is the representative of a country and an economic system that many Europeans blame for leading them into the financial crisis.

"There's been a fundamental shift in attitudes," said Robin Shepherd, director of international affairs and an expert on transatlantic relations at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank. "Obama was a symbol and an idol at a time when people were looking for symbols and idols. He has to deliver now."


The global economy's nose dive has changed the backdrop for Obama's first visit to Europe as president. In the run-up to Thursday's gathering of the Group of 20 nations, many European policymakers have disagreed with Obama's free-spending prescription for getting out of the economic ditch. And other differences are becoming apparent as well.

Obama has disappointed war-weary Europeans with his calls for NATO countries to send more combat troops to Afghanistan, as well as with support for other long-standing American positions such as the death penalty.

"I think some of the glitter has gone off Obama's original shine as Europeans grapple with a crisis that they think originated in the United States and which they don't yet believe Obama is solving," said Reginald Dale, director of the Transatlantic Media Network and a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies. "But in general I believe that Europeans will still give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. They want to like him, they want to respect him."

Demonstrations certainly are being planned in London, although early protests surrounding the summit centered on environmental, economic and foreign policy issues, in contrast with the enraged, highly personal demonstrations that greeted Bush.

"Nobody's interested anymore in grand speeches," Shepherd said. "What people need are results. That's what he's going to be judged on."

Obama popular, but Europe seeks results - Los Angeles Times

 

[Xenophon]

The speeches are getting old.

 

[alan1]

He's still campaigning.

 

[Munin]

He s still very very popular in europe, the glitter is not gone. People in europe are mostly angry on the republican Bush president and are very very glad that the republicans are out of power. They see this crisis as a result of america, but they don't see Obama as the guy responsible for it: they more see him as the guy who is going to fix the shit that his predecessor left behind.

 

[007]

Well the europeans better get in line, because us Americans want the buffoon to do something worth while here first, aside from strapping us with the most massive deficit in the history of our nation.

 

[Annie]

Europeans are sounding like Red Dawn on the bitching about Dis rep thread.

It's not America's fault they are in trouble, it's their own.

 

[Indiana Oracle]

The Prophet is blithly assuming that he knows which side is up and that his self regard and public image will hold sway in Europe even on their existential concerns.

He may still be able to enthrall students and other social idealists, but there are many adults in Europe who remember very well where fiscal irresponsibility got them during the later 30's when the paper hanger came to power.

The trouble with The Prophet is that he is essentially a spoiled kid who thinks he knows adversity because of his Chicago experience. From a European perspective, he is an amateur to be tolerated, used, and watched.

 

[Meister]

He s still very very popular in europe, the glitter is not gone. People in europe are mostly angry on the republican Bush president and are very very glad that the republicans are out of power. They see this crisis as a result of america, but they don't see Obama as the guy responsible for it: they more see him as the guy who is going to fix the shit that his predecessor left behind.

Sounds like you and Obama have the same speech writer. I've never seen a president do more finger pointing than Obama. I sure don't call that leadership. We already had the "Teflon Don", now we have the "Teflon Barry".

 

[ScreamingEagle]

He s still very very popular in europe, the glitter is not gone. People in europe are mostly angry on the republican Bush president and are very very glad that the republicans are out of power. They see this crisis as a result of america, but they don't see Obama as the guy responsible for it: they more see him as the guy who is going to fix the shit that his predecessor left behind.

Sure, Obama is still popular in Europe because he's a Socialist just like the Europeans....and he's playing suck up footsie with their leaders....and the Euros can protest and blame Bush and blame the banks all they want....but that is not going to resolve anything....but eventually when their kids are starving they will be asking why Obama The Great Black Hope from demonic capitalist America didn't do anything to get their jobs back...

Are you for becoming another sluggish Socialist nation....because that is all BO doing for us...

 

[Munin]

He s still very very popular in europe, the glitter is not gone. People in europe are mostly angry on the republican Bush president and are very very glad that the republicans are out of power. They see this crisis as a result of america, but they don't see Obama as the guy responsible for it: they more see him as the guy who is going to fix the shit that his predecessor left behind.

Sure, Obama is still popular in Europe because he's a Socialist just like the Europeans....and he's playing suck up footsie with their leaders....and the Euros can protest and blame Bush and blame the banks all they want....but that is not going to resolve anything....but eventually when their kids are starving they will be asking why Obama The Great Black Hope from demonic capitalist America didn't do anything to get their jobs back...

I suppose as a BO supporter you are all for becoming another sluggish Socialist nation....because that is all BO doing for us...

Good point there, yes europe is a bit socialist. But that is not the main reason why he s so populair in Europe. Is america socialist because americans like Obama?

You re too pessimistic, have you seen the dow jones today? above 8000 points, I think the economy is going to be just fine Stocks extend 4-week rally; Dow breaches 8,000 . It seems to be stabilizing, the commodity prices are going back up which indicates that the economy is becoming active again.

say thank you Obama if this continues. of course that is if it continues.

I m thinking that the worst is over, the unemployment is over its peak and the way to go now (for the stocks) is ... up (I think we re in the bull market)


the most common thing I ve heard on the economic news is : "it was less bad as expected" , this indicates that people are too pessimistic about the current situation (although I agree it is a bad situation, I would not compare it to "a depression in the making").

 

[editec]

Euros were aboard the Obama train until Obama wanted them to send more troops to Afghanistan.

As were many Americans, I mgight add.

 

[Munin]

Europeans are sounding like Red Dawn on the bitching about Dis rep thread.

It's not America's fault they are in trouble, it's their own.

No it is both (america and themselves), of course it is easier to blame someone else. That is why the republicans are so eager to blame it on the democrats, "the dems controlled the house" is something I ve heard many times ... but they forget to mention that the white house controls a lot of the economic tools to manage a crisis (why do you think one of its plans was called "the paulson plan", it s certainly not because the house or congress had designed it).

excuses, excuses, ... they re no good.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

He s still very very popular in europe, the glitter is not gone. People in europe are mostly angry on the republican Bush president and are very very glad that the republicans are out of power. They see this crisis as a result of america, but they don't see Obama as the guy responsible for it: they more see him as the guy who is going to fix the shit that his predecessor left behind.

Sure, Obama is still popular in Europe because he's a Socialist just like the Europeans....and he's playing suck up footsie with their leaders....and the Euros can protest and blame Bush and blame the banks all they want....but that is not going to resolve anything....but eventually when their kids are starving they will be asking why Obama The Great Black Hope from demonic capitalist America didn't do anything to get their jobs back...

I suppose as a BO supporter you are all for becoming another sluggish Socialist nation....because that is all BO doing for us...

Good point there, yes europe is a bit socialist. But that is not the main reason why he s so populair in Europe. Is america socialist because americans like Obama?

You re too pessimistic, have you seen the dow jones today? above 8000 points, I think the economy is going to be just fine Stocks extend 4-week rally; Dow breaches 8,000 . It seems to be stabilizing, the commodity prices are going back up which indicates that the economy is becoming active again.

say thank you Obama if this continues. of course that is if it continues.

I m thinking that the worst is over, the unemployment is over its peak and the way to go now (for the stocks) is ... up (I think we re in the bull market)


the most common thing I ve heard on the economic news is : "it was less bad as expected" , this indicates that people are too pessimistic about the current situation (although I agree it is a bad situation, I would not compare it to "a depression in the making").

Obama is ripping apart our American Constitution....I am very pessimistic about that no matter what the current Dow is...

Why is it then you think Europeans like Obama.... if you don't think it's because he's just like them....a socialist....?

 

[Munin]

Sure, Obama is still popular in Europe because he's a Socialist just like the Europeans....and he's playing suck up footsie with their leaders....and the Euros can protest and blame Bush and blame the banks all they want....but that is not going to resolve anything....but eventually when their kids are starving they will be asking why Obama The Great Black Hope from demonic capitalist America didn't do anything to get their jobs back...

I suppose as a BO supporter you are all for becoming another sluggish Socialist nation....because that is all BO doing for us...

Good point there, yes europe is a bit socialist. But that is not the main reason why he s so populair in Europe. Is america socialist because americans like Obama?

You re too pessimistic, have you seen the dow jones today? above 8000 points, I think the economy is going to be just fine Stocks extend 4-week rally; Dow breaches 8,000 . It seems to be stabilizing, the commodity prices are going back up which indicates that the economy is becoming active again.

say thank you Obama if this continues. of course that is if it continues.

I m thinking that the worst is over, the unemployment is over its peak and the way to go now (for the stocks) is ... up (I think we re in the bull market)


the most common thing I ve heard on the economic news is : "it was less bad as expected" , this indicates that people are too pessimistic about the current situation (although I agree it is a bad situation, I would not compare it to "a depression in the making").

Obama is ripping apart our American Constitution....I am very pessimistic about that no matter what the current Dow is...

Why is it then you think Europeans like Obama.... if you don't think it's because he's just like them....a socialist....?

His stance on klimate policy (Europe has been making big green energy efforts since a decade now), his view towards the war in Iraq (the majority of european people oppose the Iraqi war), his diplomacy (he is diplomatic, unlike bush), his stance on human rights (torture), his charisma + him being a cult icon: first (half)black president (a bit comparable with Nelson mandela as a cult icon), ...

And about the constitution, that s funny I d figure he is the one protecting it by reversing the Bush torture policies.

 

[Annie]

why do so many on the left remind me of the Jews in Eastern Europe in 1930's? Oh I know, they are in denial, no matter how many utterances are put before them, they refuse to believe.

 

[007]

why do so many on the left remind me of the Jews in Eastern Europe in 1930's? Oh I know, they are in denial, no matter how many utterances are put before them, they refuse to believe.

They've always been that way. Since I started blogging and interacting with liberals, I found one thing out about them that's a given, a standard, a bench mark... they will deny facts without exception if it's something they oppose. They will lie and make excuses the likes of which is hard to fathom for a rational person. It's hard to witness. It makes one wonder how such a person can survive in real life in such a foggy state of denial and a warped sense of reality.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Good point there, yes europe is a bit socialist. But that is not the main reason why he s so populair in Europe. Is america socialist because americans like Obama?

You re too pessimistic, have you seen the dow jones today? above 8000 points, I think the economy is going to be just fine Stocks extend 4-week rally; Dow breaches 8,000 . It seems to be stabilizing, the commodity prices are going back up which indicates that the economy is becoming active again.

say thank you Obama if this continues. of course that is if it continues.

I m thinking that the worst is over, the unemployment is over its peak and the way to go now (for the stocks) is ... up (I think we re in the bull market)


the most common thing I ve heard on the economic news is : "it was less bad as expected" , this indicates that people are too pessimistic about the current situation (although I agree it is a bad situation, I would not compare it to "a depression in the making").

Obama is ripping apart our American Constitution....I am very pessimistic about that no matter what the current Dow is...

Why is it then you think Europeans like Obama.... if you don't think it's because he's just like them....a socialist....?

His stance on klimate policy (Europe has been making big green energy efforts since a decade now), his view towards the war in Iraq (the majority of european people oppose the Iraqi war), his diplomacy (he is diplomatic, unlike bush), his stance on human rights (torture), his charisma + him being a cult icon: first (half)black president (a bit comparable with Nelson mandela as a cult icon), ...

Well, you’re correct that Obama is completely idiotic just like the Europeans when it comes to subjects like…

--global warming--now called global climate "change" to cover up the facts
--the Iraq war--a success with 50 million people freed to pursue democracy despite Euros being against freedom for Iraquis
--diplomacy--yep, BO is pretty good at the Euro-type sucking-up diplomacy
-- human rights—like Euros, Obama doesn’t realize we already have those here in the USA spelled out in our Constitution
--charisma--Europeans have charisma?
--cults-- a cult-like following of a black marxist president who is throwing our Constitution out the window certainly reminds me of a former European cult figure....Hitler

And about the constitution, that s funny I d figure he is the one protecting it by reversing the Bush torture policies.

The USA is NOT a nation of torturers….no matter how much anti-American socialist pig Euros and Obama liberal lemmings want to label us as being that...

 

[Iriemon]

Euros still like Obama but the glitter is gone....

April 1

Obama remains nearly as popular as he was during his last European visit, as a presidential candidate, when hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to hear him speak. Referring to this week's visit, one newspaper declared the return of "Obamania."

But the initial love affair may be cooling somewhat. Obama is still seen as the antithesis of Bush, but he is no longer a fresh-faced candidate. Rather, he is the representative of a country and an economic system that many Europeans blame for leading them into the financial crisis.

"There's been a fundamental shift in attitudes," said Robin Shepherd, director of international affairs and an expert on transatlantic relations at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank. "Obama was a symbol and an idol at a time when people were looking for symbols and idols. He has to deliver now."

The global economy's nose dive has changed the backdrop for Obama's first visit to Europe as president. In the run-up to Thursday's gathering of the Group of 20 nations, many European policymakers have disagreed with Obama's free-spending prescription for getting out of the economic ditch. And other differences are becoming apparent as well.

Obama has disappointed war-weary Europeans with his calls for NATO countries to send more combat troops to Afghanistan, as well as with support for other long-standing American positions such as the death penalty.

"I think some of the glitter has gone off Obama's original shine as Europeans grapple with a crisis that they think originated in the United States and which they don't yet believe Obama is solving," said Reginald Dale, director of the Transatlantic Media Network and a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies. "But in general I believe that Europeans will still give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. They want to like him, they want to respect him."

Demonstrations certainly are being planned in London, although early protests surrounding the summit centered on environmental, economic and foreign policy issues, in contrast with the enraged, highly personal demonstrations that greeted Bush.

"Nobody's interested anymore in grand speeches," Shepherd said. "What people need are results. That's what he's going to be judged on."

Obama popular, but Europe seeks results - Los Angeles Times

I can see why they are upset. I mean, the dude's been in office over two months now so why are we still hearing all this talk about recession and that nonsense? I figured I'd be retired by now.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Europeans are sounding like Red Dawn on the bitching about Dis rep thread.

It's not America's fault they are in trouble, it's their own.

No it is both (america and themselves), of course it is easier to blame someone else. That is why the republicans are so eager to blame it on the democrats, "the dems controlled the house" is something I ve heard many times ... but they forget to mention that the white house controls a lot of the economic tools to manage a crisis (why do you think one of its plans was called "the paulson plan", it s certainly not because the house or congress had designed it).

excuses, excuses, ... they re no good.

No, Annie is dead on. The US did not create the problem for Europeans, they did themselves. Western European banks took dominant roles in lending in Eastern Europe. They began to give mortgages and other loans at low interest as long as it was dominated by euros, swiss francs and yen. This worked out well until the Polish zloty alnd the Hungarian forint fell in value, and Italian, Austrian and Swedish banks suffered the defaults.

US felt that Europe should handle the problems themselves, and the financial engine of EU, Germany, which had less exposure, tried to block a bailout, hoping that IMF would do the job with US funds.

Even now, Germany, which is export-oriented, is hoping to sell more goods in the US because of the Obama money-dump (Stimulus Bill).

Add to this the German wish to pawn off OPEL on the US. And watch how quick the EU, especially Germany, will offer fighting troops for Afghanistan (not).

BTW, all the talk about how Europe hated Bush and his policies, did you notice Blair remaining in power during the Bush years, the French dumping Chirac for a pro-American, and Schroeder replaced by the more pro-American Merkel. Explain?

 

[PoliticalChic]

. That is why the republicans are so eager to blame it on the democrats, "the dems controlled the house" is something I ve heard many times ... but they forget to mention that the white house controls a lot of the economic tools to manage a crisis (why do you think one of its plans was called "the paulson plan", it s certainly not because the house or congress had designed it).

excuses, excuses, ... they re no good.

I didn't see you include the following in your explanation of "economic tools":

Starting in 1938, GSE's Fannie and Freddie, CRA, Clinton HUD pressure on banks, Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. How many are Democrats "tools"?

Try all.