Obama's Gravitas: "He looked and sounded Presidential when the eyes of the world were on him."

[DeepModem Mom]

WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
Analysis: Obama's Gravitas

Barack Obama's press conference this morning in Amman, Jordan, was a major moment -- perhaps the major moment -- of the Illinois senator's much-ballyhooed trip abroad this week.

All eyes were on Obama to see how he would perform on a world stage with every political reporter of any consequence either on the trip with him or watching closely on television. And, as he has done before in the course of the campaign, Obama seemed to be up to the moment -- sensing the need to convey gravitas and bipartisanship while also strongly defending his own beliefs about America's role in Iraq and the broader Middle East.

Gone were the jokes and "rah rah" language that won over many Obama partisans but left many undecided voters wondering whether there was any there when it came to the Illinois senator. Instead, we saw a serious explication of his position on removing combat troops in Iraq, a position bolstered in recent days by repeated calls by the Iraqi government to remove U.S. military forces from the country by 2010....

***

Overall...Obama cleared a crucial bar in today's press conference. He looked and sounded presidential at a moment when the eyes of the world were on him.

Will it dramatically affect the race at home when Obama returns? It's hard to tell. But, rest assured that if Obama today had come across as flip or not sufficiently versed on the issues in Iraq and the Middle East, it would have been a major problem for his candidacy. Obama cleared that hurdle with ease.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/07/analysis_obamas_gravitas.html?hpid=topnews

[Cha]

1. I had no doubt but very

happy this part of the campaign is running along as it should. Quite a responsibility our guy from Hawai'i has shouldered with the immense help of his excellent team.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. So far, so good! They are, indeed, amazing. nt

[democrat2thecore]

3. Well-written and I agree 100% - Obama passed with flying colors! -nt

[cliffordu]

4. Yep - 100% Presidential.

And as a bonus, it is driving Andrea Mitchell absolutely dogshit crazy.

[Kahuna]

15. Yes. Andrea in a lather is quite the added bonus.

:patriot:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. Signed, sealed and delivered in November!

[Gman]

6. This trip is making a believer out of me

I argued through the primaries that Obama was an empty suit and I had good cause to say so. During the primaries, his policy statements were pretty much cloned from Hillary's and very little in policy separated the two. Hillary had (and still does) have the experience, the presence, and everything else it takes to be an excellent president. Therefore, I've been fully expecting while completely dreading a complete Obama implosion. I feared he was going to move on to the Big Show and would completely collapse a la Michael Dukakis. I've been there and seen it all before.

But this trip is changing everything. I'm seeing substance in Obama I never saw before. I'm seeing a man that can stand on the world stage and have a commanding presence as well as articulate well thought out ideas that have a universal appeal. I'm seeing a man that can hold his own with world leaders.

Yes, Obama may well be The One.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Thanks for a hopeful, heartening post, Gman! nt

[Kahuna]

14. Thanks GMan! Obama will make Americans proud again. I might..

even dust off that American flag pin my mother gave me years ago and wear it.

:patriot:

[BeyondGeography]

7. The Beltway Seal of Approval

sucks that we need it, but the world is as it is.

[Pirate Smile]

9. I don't know why anyone who has watched Obama at all would have expected any less.

What did the McCain camp think was going to happen?

I don't get it. Who have they been watching because apparently they aren't very familiar with Barack Obama.

Bill Bennett said on CNN that the Republicans thought they were setting a trap for Obama but it didn't work. No sh#$!

They obviously don't "get" Obama.

My Mom said she listened to a little of Rush today (Keeping an eye on the enemy, no progressive talk radio...). She said his big thing today was that Obama isn't very smart. Someone else has to be behind him. He played a long string of the "uhhhs" edited together. According to her, he was absolutely terrible. I don't know how to measure that - he is always terrible. I think they are freaking out.

The idea that they are going to try to say he isn't smart or is an empty suit. What fools! The Debates will prove the ridiculousness of that meme. I can't imagine a worse angle to try to work.

They really are freaked out and desperate.

[Cha]

12. Too bad our country has to have a

faction like radio idiots trying to make others believe that a former Harvard Law President, who writes his own well written books on his life experiences,.."isn't very smart".

But, this same radioidiot would no doubt sing the praises of say.. a larry craig.

[dkf]

10. Instead of messing up the pronunciation of "nuclear" he stumped me with "colloquy" and "manichean".

lol.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. Good call! What a diff!!! nt

[fujiyama]

13. I mean for God's sake!

How could anyone consider McCain? The guy thinks Iraq and Pakistan share a border. What a freakin' moran!

During the course of this campaign, McCain has struck me as less intellectually curious and ignorant than even Bush! And the media and himself consider national security his "strong issue"?! If this is his strength, I can't imagine how clueless he is about domestic issues and the economy, where he's admitted so much himself!