Obama has the wisdom and experience America needs to lead and be respected in a multicultural world

[calteacherguy]

CLARION, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama said Monday his childhood experience in Asia and his family in Kenya give him a greater foreign policy understanding than politicians who merely take junkets to other countries.

The first-term Illinois senator is frequently asked whether he has the foreign policy credentials to be president, and he faced the question again at a town hall meeting in Clarion.

"I spent four years living overseas when I was a child living in Southeast Asia," said Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent four years in Indonesia. "My father is from Kenya. That's where I got my name. He's passed away now, but I still have family."

"A lot of my knowledge about foreign affairs is not what I just studied in school. It's actually having the knowledge of how ordinary people in these other countries live."

Obama contrasted that with tightly controlled congressional trips overseas.

"You get picked up at the airport by a state convoy and a security detail. They drive you over to the ambassador's house and you get lunch. Then you go take a tour of some factory or some school. Children do a native dance."

Obama said foreign policy decisions are rooted in an understanding of foreign cultures, and he argued he has a much keener perception than his rivals.

"It's very hard for you to make good foreign policy decisions. Foreign policy is all about judgment," said Obama. "It's understanding what the world looks like from the outside."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXFQbVLl-ShP1_pg6CGNiyaBTmfwD8T0SIQO0

[aquart]

1. "Multicultural." What card would that be you're playing?

Seriously, though. Maybe you DON'T want to play up foreign influences when you want American votes.

[MNDemNY]

2. Yes, his vast foreign policy experience is amazing.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

3. LOL..

[FreeState]

4. Unless your gay

He is not 100% pro-equality - the only candidate that is 100% is Kucinich.

[Bitwit1234]

5. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

BELLY LAUGH BELLY LAUGH BELLY LAUGH heading for the bathroom, got to throw up.

[Bluebear]

6. "I spent four years living overseas" = international experience?

[closeupready]

7. What an amatuer. And it comes out when he says things like,

"children do a native dance," as though he's implying that congressional trips are nothing more than colonialist luaus or something. Grow up, Obama. :eyes:

[terisan]

8. Does Obama have hold citizenship in another country? I think the family experience is good. I have

reservations about dual citizenship at this point in time.

Do you know of Congresspeople or current administration people who have dual citizenship?