Besides bowing to his superiors, Obama's known for sending cheap gifts.
Maybe he could sent this to Australia with his regrets...
Posted on 03/19/2010 1:36:20 PM PDT by tellw
Now we know we're off Barack Obama's radar
Brad Norington, Washington correspondent From: The Australian March 20, 2010
THE decision of Barack Obama to put off his visit to Indonesia and Australia a second time - this time by three months - provides a valuable insight into how this dysfunctional White House operates.
If any proof were needed that US foreign policy, especially in the Pacific, is far down the list of priorities for Obama and his team then here it is.
George W. Bush ignored the region, say his detractors. What about Obama?
The President's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, stumbled through a prepared script yesterday. But he put the situation aptly: "The passage of health reform is of paramount importance and the President is determined to see this battle through."
In other words, Obama's domestic push to pass a watered-down version of health reform in the US congress so he can chalk up a legislative victory after a year of bumbling comes first. The message to Indonesia and Australia could not be clearer.
Gibbs even omitted Australia as he read from his script that Obama expected to visit Indonesia in June.
He later issued a "clarification" that added Australia.
In an election year, Kevin Rudd would obviously be disappointed about a no-show from Obama. The presence of a charismatic president could help lift his flagging position in opinion polls.
But Rudd will get over it. He will see Obama later in the year. He also knows what the White House knows: Australia's support for the US is a given, and often taken for granted.
Indonesia's disappointment may be more acute, which only reinforces the clumsy approach taken by Washington.
Obama not only delayed his Australian visit last week but compressed the leg into an overnight stay.
Now it is off the table until June. Surely the White House could have foreseen a week ago that a better option then would have been to delay until June.
Gibbs said yesterday a congress vote on health could not take place before tomorrow, the day of the President's proposed departure, because congress rules provided that legislation must sit on the table for a 72-hour review period before a vote takes place. This is not a sudden revelation - the White House knew it all along.
It all smacks of an indecisive President who is trying to please everybody but ends up pleasing no one.
All the claims of dithering levelled against Obama by his opponents appear more and more accurate. He may sound good, but what does he do?
The heavy politicking by Obama now to nudge reluctant fellow Democratic Party members to pass health legislation could have been done last year. The prospects for passing the health legislation still do not look good at this stage.
The only plus from this experience, from Australia's point of view, is that a presidential visit in June could mean a longer stay. A President who knows not much about Australia could understand more about the country and the US alliance if his stay was not limited to a one-night stand.
So Obammie has dissed Austrailia.
They should count themselves lucky. They ain’t missed a thing.
At least our friends down under KNOW how dysfunctional this PBO White House is.
English Speaking Countries are obviously the root of all evil against Islam.
The problem was that Obama couldn’t really think of anyone he was going to bow to in Australia.
Seems to me that President Bush had excellent relations with Australia.
It has become a perverse symbol of distinction - “have you been dissed by the Kenyan”?
I would think a sequentially numbered certificate would be worth something on eBay LOL (at least I would have more to show for Øbozo’s pResidency than he has revealed so far!)
I sorta figured Australia was one coming out ahead top on this one.
The amount of damage control BO’s successor is going to have to do AMONG OUR ALLIES is going to take months. Downright pathetic.
Barack doesn’t speak Australian.
He might be hit by a dirty shoe in Indonesia. They don’t like him either.
Is that arugula LOL?!
Exactly. They have Muzie extremists so one big muzzie Kenyan extremist wont make a biggie...unless the white liberals start bitching about it.
The UK, Israel, and the American people are off of Obama’s radar as well. The Australians are in good company.
Yes.. the leftist lap dog that wrote this piece had to pay homage to satan by attacking Bush... a good man compared to the muzzie from hell.
LLS
It’ll take decades.
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