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Nice Trip, Now Get Back to Work, Mr. President

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 11, 2009 4:05 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama got his usual hero's welcome overseas, but this trip seemed "jarring and discordant" back in the US, writes Cynthia Tucker in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Our economic news keeps getting worse by the day, yet at summit after summit, “photos of the Obamas in resplendent, gold-bedecked palaces smacked of Marie Antoinette.” Obama cannot afford to be “out of touch with the everyday woes of constituents back home.”

“It will be Obama’s failure if he doesn’t grab the microphone immediately to remind the nation that he has a plan to revive the economy and produce jobs,” Tucker continues. He needs to confront the financial system, “let banks know he expects their full cooperation,” and “make economic revival his number one task." In this dire situation, with clear action necessary, “those photo ops in glittering palaces were a bit off-message.”

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama take part at a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo)

President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha, and Malia, obscured, walk past traditional dancers at the airport in Accra, Ghana. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

A Ghanaian man wears a shirt depicting President Obama. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

President Obama addresses the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama walks with Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as they tour earthquake damage on the sidelines of the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy. (AP Photo)

The G8 summit in Italy. (AP Photo)

President Barack Obama is greeted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace, Rome. (AP Photo)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 38 comments

Hip

Sep 26, 2009 12:55 PM CDT

You call him a megolomaniac because you see him more than you did Bush. If Bush had any intelligence (off the cuff style) you would have seen him more, too.

Reader65069154

Jul 13, 2009 3:37 AM CDT

All talk, no substance. Sorry, I should say I was referring to his trip, not his domestic policy.

justme

Jul 12, 2009 12:56 PM CDT

I served my country and was part of the military intelligence community. I saw the horror of Viet Nam as our politicians created an unwinnable war. I saw the body counts. I understand your frustration with Bush. I do not understand how you can believe that Obama spending billions we don't have and castrating our industry with cap and trade while China and India go free to unfairly compete is "coordinating an economic recovery."

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Nice Trip, Now Get Back to Work, Mr. President

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Nice Trip, Now Get Back to Work, Mr. President

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Europe • G8 summit • US economy • economic stimulus package • summit meeting • Obama administration • President Obama • economic crisis • palaces

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Geithner: Obama Won't Ask Me to Stay

Treasury secretary says he's done after election

Second Stimulus, Additional Debt Release Coming

President to trade short-term spending for long-term cuts

Obama: Economy 'Going to Take Time'

President pleads for patience in weekly address

Why Obama Gets No Credit for Success

His presidency's been about 'preventing disaster,' writes Michael Grunwald

It Was the Economy, Stupid

Voters didn't trust Democrats to turn fortunes around

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Newser By Users

Community

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What is Newser?