President Obama seems fated to leave the G20 meeting sadder about concerted economic stimulus but wiser about selfish European traditions immortalized half a century ago in "I'm all right, Jack."
The New York Times reports: "For all of Mr. Obama’s early optimism that the rest of the world would follow his lead on big stimulus packages, there is no clear move in that direction. By last weekend the White House was signaling that it would not confront the nations, notably Germany, that resisted more deficit spending."
For someone who has spent a lifetime getting over the genocidal Nazi era and Hitler's attempt to rule the world, this turn of events is distasteful.
“International policy is," Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned, "for all the friendship and commonality, always also about representing the interests of one’s own country,” as she resists all American overtures to stimulate the German economy or encourage the European Central Bank to emulate the Federal Reserve in pumping money into European economies.
As most of the world struggles with economic devastation, the Chancellor cites worries about inflation, going back to the 1920s when pre-Nazi German marks had to be carried around in a wheelbarrow.
The G20 will doubtless end with a meaningless communiqué about cooperation and leave even the upbeat Obama privately wondering if it all wasn't a $75 million and almost a working week's waste of time.
How do you say "I'm all right, Hans" in German?
Showing posts with label G20 summit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G20 summit. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Presidential Persistence and Focus
Two months have taken a toll on Barack Obama, who came into office offering change and is now promising persistence.
He finished his news conference last night citing the St. Patrick's Day celebration of "previously sworn enemies" from Ireland in the White House as proof that time and effort can solve intractable problems.
"And what that tells me," he said "is that, if you stick to it, if you are persistent, then these problems can be dealt with.
"That whole philosophy of persistence, by the way, is one that I'm going to be emphasizing again and again in the months and years to come as long as I'm in this office. I'm a big believer in persistence."
The New York Times sums up its account of the news conference this way:
"Throughout his time in public life, Mr. Obama has confronted questions about whether he was too detached, too analytical, too intellectual. In the campaign, he was as likely to be compared to Adlai E. Stevenson as he was to John F. Kennedy. And if there is a pattern to Mr. Obama, it is to lumber through periods like this and then become intense and animated at the first sign of trouble.
"Over the long term, Mr. Obama’s calm has served him well, in particular at the critical moment in the campaign when the economy began its steep slide."
What this omits is the ability Obama shares most with JFK--to stay focused. Of all presidents since then, he most clearly exhibits the quality that not only gave Americans confidence in Kennedy's intelligence but created the kind of emotional connection that has not been seen since.
Today Obama faces the task of negotiating with Congressional leaders, most importantly of his own party, over the size and scope of the budget. Then he goes to Mexico to deal with the growing drug war on our borders and on to the G20 summit over the crashing world economy.
As he moves through this series of intense tests of his leadership, the one reassuring certainty is that Obama will keep his eye on the ball.
He finished his news conference last night citing the St. Patrick's Day celebration of "previously sworn enemies" from Ireland in the White House as proof that time and effort can solve intractable problems.
"And what that tells me," he said "is that, if you stick to it, if you are persistent, then these problems can be dealt with.
"That whole philosophy of persistence, by the way, is one that I'm going to be emphasizing again and again in the months and years to come as long as I'm in this office. I'm a big believer in persistence."
The New York Times sums up its account of the news conference this way:
"Throughout his time in public life, Mr. Obama has confronted questions about whether he was too detached, too analytical, too intellectual. In the campaign, he was as likely to be compared to Adlai E. Stevenson as he was to John F. Kennedy. And if there is a pattern to Mr. Obama, it is to lumber through periods like this and then become intense and animated at the first sign of trouble.
"Over the long term, Mr. Obama’s calm has served him well, in particular at the critical moment in the campaign when the economy began its steep slide."
What this omits is the ability Obama shares most with JFK--to stay focused. Of all presidents since then, he most clearly exhibits the quality that not only gave Americans confidence in Kennedy's intelligence but created the kind of emotional connection that has not been seen since.
Today Obama faces the task of negotiating with Congressional leaders, most importantly of his own party, over the size and scope of the budget. Then he goes to Mexico to deal with the growing drug war on our borders and on to the G20 summit over the crashing world economy.
As he moves through this series of intense tests of his leadership, the one reassuring certainty is that Obama will keep his eye on the ball.
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