[FrassyLap]

Go on.

Do tell us what do you think will happen.

[AndyPharmc]

Sarkozy is just trying to rub shoulders and see if some of that magic would crumble on him as well.

It's weird how popular Obama is outside the US as well. I've been reading some forums, and the long and deep anti-americanism seems to be totally gone. This is largely due to, of course, that the president has changed. Of course it's just beginners hype, he had a great speech, it still carries on for few weeks. But if he keeps on, the US will come from the unpopular position into top position soon. And it DOES matter. It matters a lot.

It has lots of positive implications, there will be less boycotts, people get along better, and what's most important, when Obama is popular, and US is seen more like the good old days, it means that the fight against terrorism picks up much better. Alliances will be better, easier to form. Agreements will come easier together, and the president of the US will be respected not because of sheer power but because of other things as well. Of course future will show how this discourse is kept, but people are hopeful, even outside the US it seems like. Let's face it, things get done when people get along better.

So of course, every politician now, worldwide, wants to rub shoulders, see if they can get some of that magic too.

[jPNy2BP5]

I don't remember anti-americanism in Latin America among the common people when Clinton was president.
The left is always anti-american, but the USA, at least here, was quite popular in the 90's.

Why couldnt the USA be popular again now that Bush is gone?

[aaaaaaaabbbby]

It sounds worse in english than in spanish "el negro"

Quiero hablar con el negro

I want to talk to the Black Man

Chavez is part black, he called himself "black indian", I am quite sure that in fact he is tri racial, spanish/black/indian, something quite common in Venezuela and Colombia

Im sure he does not mean to sound racist.

Obviously by indian I mean like Moctezuma and not like Lord Shiva

[VardyCodarexyz]

It does sound like Sarkozy has the hots for Obama.

[bestworkother]

Sarkozy is just trying to rub shoulders and see if some of that magic would crumble on him as well.

It's weird how popular Obama is outside the US as well. I've been reading some forums, and the long and deep anti-americanism seems to be totally gone.

That's because amongst the vast majority of people it was never Anti-Americanism, as some people were so desperate to claim. Most so-called Anti-Americans were actually Anti-Bush-administrationists.

A lot of Brits are like me. We think America is an awesome country. We've been there on holiday, met wonderful friendly people. MOBIUS would be another example actually. But that doesn't mean we have to be supportive of terrible American foreign policy any more than we were supportive of our own government when it puts in place terrible policy.

I think it was the same in America. The labeling of good American citizens, who were passionate about their country and hated to see what Bush was doing to it, as anti-American was disgusting.

Criticising your government when it does something you think is bad for the country is vital and patriotic in a democracy.

[RafaelYV]

well US has a lot of goodwill with the rest of the world, so it did not take a lot, especially for the man who in his first actions is going to close Guantanamo... that tells you that he means business and for the rest of the world this is more than enough to be very hopeful that we have in store a lot more reasonable US foreign/other policies for near future... the right 50% took over...

The result of Bush years is however that we will not forget that there is still almost 50% of US voters who are not exactly on clear terms with war, torture, lies and other methods as long as they justify the goal...

[SaLifHoq]

That's because amongst the vast majority of people it was never Anti-Americanism, as some people were so desperate to claim. Most so-called Anti-Americans were actually Anti-Bush-administrationists.

I second that.

Back in the days, I remember how to be anti-Bush was to be anti-American, freedom-hater. And to be anti-Sharon was to be nazi-like anti-semitic.

I would say it this way:
It's weird how on some forums this long and deep "criticizing Bush equal treason, [self-hating] anti americanism, anti-freedom" has totally gone now.

[Angelinaaiiiiiiiii]

MikeH, Sure, absolutely. However, the tone with anti-americans is less vigilant as well. Surely that's natural since Bush is gone, however, some of the sentiment has diminished that was not so much anti-bush but anti-bush+anti-america.

Anti-Bush people have usually separated themselves by stating that they just don't like the president, or have stuck to criticizing his actions.

[purchasviagra]

To some extent, although senate and congress are still incredibly white. Similar here, we had a female prime minister, but it hasn't massively impacted parliament in terms of female MPs. I don't think 1 person getting the top job indicates the problem of equal representation is solved.

[Hixinfineedom]

Even Khaddafi is on Obama's side right now.

I'd say that the over-under on this entire honeymoon is 2 weeks.

[expomeHattePe]

On the dole? That's the first I've heard of it.

Edit: To be clear, I'm not sure that a payoff wouldn't be worth it. It rolled up AQ Khan's network, IIRC. I guess it matters how much the payoff was, if indeed there was a payoff. As to the magnitude of the success, I think it was pretty big, as far as these things go.