Obama Has Landed Safely

"Obama Has Landed Safely" - that was the headline in Le Figaro, the conservative French newspaper, on July 25, 2008. American journalist Richard Reeves noted that to Europeans, Barack Obama "is more than a politician. He is a cultural figure, who has landed here with the impact Charles Lindbergh made when he flew the Atlantic alone more than 80 years ago."

Today in 2012, President Obama remains popular in Europe, but support from China has lessened significantly according to a recent Pew Research study.

Obama Travels Abroad

On Thursday, July 17, 2008, Barack Obama departed Washington to begin a foreign tour of the Middle East and Europe. He first stopped in Kuwait and then continued to Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops. The trip was designed to highlight his foreign policy credentials.

Over There

In late June 2008, the Obama campaign announced plans to travel overseas in mid-July, with visits to Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, France, Germany, and London. Initially, the stop in Berlin was to include a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, where U.S. Presidents Kennedy and Reagan gave memorable speeches. But the Berlin location was later changed to the Victory Column.

Early in July 2012, GOP candidate Mitt Romney announced plans for a foreign trip this summer to include stops in Israel and London, with consideration also given to Germany and Poland.

A recent US News & World Report article states that Romney has said he will "do the opposite" of Obama on Israel, but has not specified details. The article also quotes an Obama spokesman's reply: "Governor Romney has said he would do the opposite of what President Obama has done in our relations with Israel. Now he must specify how - does that mean he would reverse President Obama's policies of sending Israel the largest security assistance packages in history? Does it mean he would let Israel stand alone at the United Nations, or that he would stop funding the Iron Dome system? Does it mean he would abandon the coalition working together to confront Iran's nuclear ambitions?"

Europeans Excited by Obama

During the 2008 presidential campaign, to Europeans, Barack Obama symbolized American renewal. Responding to one reporter's questions, a woman in Paris explained, "We want America back. We think he's the black Kennedy." 

Large crowds were expected when Obama visited London. They were thought to be eager for change from the usual old and old-style politicians.