First thoughts: Obama and Chavez
Posted: Monday, April 20, 2009 10:21 AM by Domenico Montanaro
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First Thoughts
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Obama and Chavez: Republican critics have been seizing on President Obama’s friendly interaction with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez over the weekend at the Summit of the Americas. But is anyone who watched the two-year-long presidential campaign -- Democrats, Republicans, and journalists -- really surprised that Obama wouldn’t shun Chavez at the summit? As the president said at yesterday’s press conference, “We had this debate throughout the campaign, and the whole notion was, is that somehow if we showed courtesy or opened up dialogue with governments that had previously been hostile to us, that that somehow would be a sign of weakness. The American people didn't buy it. And there's a good reason the American people didn't buy it, because it doesn't make sense.” Later, however, Obama said he doesn’t worry about the politics. “I try to figure out what's right in terms of American interests, and on this one I think I'm right.” But does anyone buy that Obama really doesn’t care about politics? After all, this past foreign trip had a lot to do with domestic politics: guns, the drug war, Cuba (as it relates to Florida politics).
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Video: Obama responds to his encounter with Hugo Chavez.
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The Obama doctrine: Also at yesterday’s press conference, one of your First Read authors asked the president what the pillars of an “Obama Doctrine” are when it comes to American foreign policy, after now visiting eight countries and three continents and meeting with 90 world leaders. While Obama said it was up to pundits and journalists “to write the definitive statement” on a doctrine, he laid out two principles. “Number One, that the United States remains the most powerful, wealthiest nation on Earth, but we're only one nation, and that the problems that we confront, whether it's drug cartels, climate change, terrorism, you name it, can't be solved just by one country. And I think if you start with that approach, then you are inclined to listen and not just talk… Number Two, I feel very strongly that when we are at our best, the United States represents a set of universal values and ideals… But what I also believe is that other countries have different cultures, different perspectives, and are coming out of different histories, and that we do our best to promote our ideals and our values by our example.” Of course, whether or not an Obama Doctrine will be a success will depend heavily on the president staying popular at home and around the world. Why is Chavez fawning? Because Obama might be more popular in Venezuela than Chavez is right now. What this also means? The Obama Doctrine might not be transferrable to any other future president.
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Video: Obama's trip sheds light on his foreign policy doctrine.
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Back home: Obama is probably ending his foreign travel at the right moment before he risks looking like he's too focused on international affairs at a time when the economy remains issue No. 1. Today, beginning at 11:30 am ET, he holds his first cabinet meeting since becoming president. At the meeting, he will ask his cabinet secretaries to identify a combined $100 million to cut within the next 90 days. Also today, after making those interrogation memos public, he heads to Langley, VA to deliver remarks to CIA employees and meet with CIA leaders.
Video: At his first cabinet meeting, the president will refocus on the economy after his trip abroad.
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Debate wrap: On Sunday, the three Democratic candidates for Virginia governor -- Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe, and Brian Moran -- participated in a debate moderated by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell. The biggest point of contention: political donations that Moran has received from defense contractors and money McAuliffe had raised from Manhattan and Hollywood. Said Deeds, per the
Washington Post: “We will not be the party of the middle class if the nominee of this party is beholden to Donald Trump and Wall Street interests or tainted defense contractors who got millions of earmarks. We will have lost our way if we allow the Wall Street establishment or a corrupt political establishment to control our agenda for the next four years.”
*** Elsewhere down the ballot: Norm Coleman has yet to formally appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, but that move is expected to come this week. Also, in the ongoing count in NY-20, Democrat Scott Murphy was leading Republican Jim Tedisco by 273 votes as of Friday afternoon. Given that lead, and given that most of the outstanding ballot challenges are Murphy votes, the Democrats are in a commanding position to hold on to this congressional seat.
Countdown to Obama’s 100th day: 9 days
Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 43 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 50 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 197 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 561 days
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