Obama's star shines bright in London

LONDON — Maybe it should have been called the O-20.

Just over two months into his presidency, Barack Obama commanded center stage at this high-wattage gathering of the world’s industrialized nations, vacuuming up attention both inside the summit and throughout a sophisticated city not easily star-struck.

Obama proclaimed at the end of the conference that his country would be more humble in the world, but there was nothing modest about the attention he received.

His profile was so immense that it threatened to diminish both the global summit itself and the protests taking place on the streets of London.

“Never mind the stimulus, who sat next to the president?” read a front-page headline in The Guardian about the G-20 dinner that only seemed partly in jest.

At the summit’s close, Obama proclaimed himself pleased with the results — calling the event a “turning point” in the effort to reverse the global economic meltdown. The world leaders called for $1.1 trillion in loans and financial guarantees for poor countries largely through the International Monetary fund, and a new global Financial Stability Board to warn of a future financial crisis.

As always wanting to seize control of Obama’s public image, the president’s aides took steps to ensure that he was seen as not just as a celebrity astride a gushing audience but a statesman taking a leadership role during his debut on the world stage.

A press briefing for White House reporters was hastily called Thursday afternoon just minutes after the summit’s communiqué was issued so a senior administration official could tout the president’s pivotal role in brokering a compromise between the French and Chinese on tax havens that the official said had threatened to derail the meeting.

The French have pushed for a brighter light to be shined on those jurisdictions in violation of tax standards while the Chinese have stoutly refused to even recognize such a list; Obama, pulling aside leaders of both countries first separately and then together, hashed out a compromise to “note” the existence of a list.

“I’d suggest we might still be there had he not done this,” said the administration official who briefed White House reporters.

Obama, mindful of his outsized role, was modest about how he fared here, saying at the press conference at the end of the summit that he thought “we did OK” and noting he wanted to listen and learn at what was his first international conference. The final agreement stopped short of Obama’s hopes that individual European nations would do their own economic stimulus at home, as Obama did here in the United States.

But a senior administration official assured that a new financial entity created out of the summit was not the global regulatory body some Europeans had sought — and Wall Street has feared — but only an “international coordination body.”

Obama’s news conference itself demonstrated just how large Obama’s footprint was here. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown may have been the host, but his afternoon briefing was dwarfed by the new American president.

The line to get in stretched about 500 feet down a long hallway at the convention center hosting the conference and the 800 seats were all full inside, prompting scores of reporters to line the walls.

When Obama arrived, dozens of the print reporters in the audience stood to take their own keepsake photographs on camera phones and BlackBerrys behind the news photographers thronging the entire width of the vast stage.

When the president departed after nearly an hour, dozens more reporters offered him applause — something one veteran reporter who has covered the globe for decades said he could not recall seeing except for in authoritarian nations.

In between, a veritable auction broke out when Obama said he would intersperse questions from international journalists.

Reporters shouted out the name of their country or continent to plead that he call on them.

“You know, we’re not doing bidding here,” Obama joked, winning titters from the fawning correspondents.

After the press conference, a beaming Swiss reporter turned to an American colleague.

“Your president is just so impressive,” she said. “Is he always so relaxed and open?”

Earlier a Moscow TV crew had come around to the American section of the press file center asking if reporters would go on camera to discuss Obama.

But it wasn’t just reporters swooning.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the world’s largest democracy, used part of his one-on-one session with Obama to ask for an autograph on behalf of his daughter (or so he said).

Nor was the adulation limited to the president.

An afternoon visit to an all-girls high school by Michelle Obama prompted shrieks, cheers and even tears among the students.

“Michelle Is Mint Green Queen of Fashion” read one Daily Telegraph headline over a story showing three pictures of the first lady

Throughout London, locals strained to catch a glimpse at the hottest new American import.

One of the more popular shirts was the iconic red-and-white Tube logo with “Obama” swapped out for “Underground”

“Well, I suppose something has to go wrong at some point, but he is rather wonderful, isn’t he?” one Briton was quoted in The Guardian.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090402/pl_politico/20823

I knew he would do it.

I did not expect any less...lol

What a change from the last 8 years.
He may actually restore America's reputation in the world!

It's great to feel a weight off the shoulders after 8 long years. I am happy for them both and for the world frankly that our president is so admired for a change. I better get out of this thread before the wise cracks come and ruin the moment.. grin!

i honestly dont think mccain would have done as well.i'll bet there are alot of nations who are glad to see Bush go..

i'm blinded

Blinded? Huh, I must have missed something, it is past my bed time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNle_402RY0&feature=iv&annotation_id=event_956260


Barack the House.

Why is everyone happy with Obama now that hes started doing his job? I want news coverage when i goto work and push my trash can around! WHERES MY FAN FARE!?

Honestly I'm sick of hearing about both Obama's in London. Its all over the fracking news

He just got there.

Guess the world really believes in Hollywood politics. I'll give it a few years to see if this "subprime spending" comes back and causes a second recession like the 1980-1982 one, not to say this one is over.
What will our kids grown up say about the Obama years - that will give you your answer, not some Hollywood atmosphere. Remember, even Bush was loved the first two months.

I don't think it's about Hollywood politics. I think it's about how refreshing he is after Bush. Bush had the rest of the world looking at us so negatively.

he's well liked by ALL the socialists...is that a good thing ?...I don't think so...he was over their selling out America...blaming this great country for everyone's ills...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...for the 50's...

I beleive he stood up against placing the all the blame on the US..50s again, must be time for a diaper change..You were of course in diapers then Personaly I like wiping my own azz..

Ahh..the 50's. That's when you didn't have any responsibilities. You were just a baby. lol

How on earth does being a good representative for America equate with selling out America? Sheesh.

====================
It says a lot about the intersection of politics and entertainment that President Barack Obama will pitch his economic recovery plan on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tonight, Thursday, March 19.

Obama has broken a number of barriers, and now he'll be the first sitting president to make this kind of appearance on late night TV. Leno's couch usually hosts celebs pitching upcoming movies; now Obama, a unique type of celebrity, is pitching the economic future of the nation.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/29778179

Presidents have been on TV for the past 40 years.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1582024/40_years_of_presidents_appearing_on.html?cat=37

Obama didnt pitch anything on Leno.
He answered Leno's questions just like every other guest does.

Pssst...see my link. It's interesting.