Obama More Popular Than US in Mideast

US more unpopular there now than it was under Bush

(NEWSER) - You know President Obama’s plan to reach out and win hearts and minds in the Middle East? It’s not going well. In a stunning new Pew Poll spotted by Glenn Greenwald of Salon , only 10% of residents in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates said they had a positive view of Obama, and less than that had a positive view of the US—putting the numbers at sub-Bush levels. More»

Back Mideast peace deal based on 1967 borders

(NEWSER) - President Obama gave a wide-ranging speech on the Middle East today, speaking out forcefully in support of Arab protesters everywhere—even in US allies like Yemen and Bahrain. “After decades of accepting the world as it is in the region we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be,” Obama said, advocating “universal rights” for the people of the region, including freedom of speech and religion, and equality for women and men. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama skillfully made the case for women's rights in the Muslim world during his Cairo speech today with the help of the hijab, or head scarf, writes Tracy Clark-Flory in Salon. "I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal," he said, demonstrating tolerance and respect before reaching his main points: that women must have the right to education and the right to reject "traditional roles." More»

President to tackle US-Muslim relations on first Middle Eastern trip

(NEWSER) - President Obama will travel to Egypt next month to deliver a speech aimed at mending America's relationship with the Muslim world, McClatchy Newspapers reports. Egypt is a politically risky choice due to President Hosni Mubarak's heavy-handed autocratic rule, but a White House spokesman said the country "in many ways represents the heart of the Arab world" and that the speech would be pitched at ordinary Muslims, not their leaders. More»

If economy falters, and Mitt Romney is the nominee, watch out

(NEWSER) - It’s too early for Nate Silver’s usual granular state-by-state election calculus, so the New York Times political prediction guru is looking at the big picture. Obama faces three main challenges: voters think he’s not up to the task, they’re terrified of the economy, and they’re ready to vote for a credible Republican. We can measure each of those things—with approval rating, GDP, and various measures of a Republican’s ideological leanings. More»