Last weekend, I was a guest of David Abiker on Europe1 (C'est arrivé cette semaine) to talk briefly about Obama's last State of the Union address, his potential impact on the 2016 presidential contest, the place of Donald Trump in the Republican race, and the heated battle between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the early primaries.
Listen to the full interview (French) at the link below, starting at the 9'30" mark.
C'est arrivé cette semaine (16 Jan 2016)
Showing posts with label State of the Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label State of the Union. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
AMERICAN POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MIDDLE EAST PEACE (LCI)
Last evening, July 11, I was a guest on Le 17/20 on French news channel, LCI. The panel was intended to focus on yesterday's meeting of the Middle East Quartet in Washington DC, but evolved into a discussion primarily about Israeli and Palestinian internal politics.
I contributed an analysis of the American political landscape with the following reflections:
--How strong is Obama's political will to press this issue? Currently on his plate: consuming debt negotiations and the early stages of the 2012 electoral cycle. Israel's defense and security is a US domestic electoral issue. Even if Obama were willing to take a harder line to transform his May 2011 speech into action, this would necessarily involve increased pressure on Israel and opening himself (and his campaign) to avid criticism from across the two-party spectrum, including from representatives protecting their own seats in their home districts.
--A closer look at US domestic opposition to the Palestinian vote this September: I signaled the resolution proposed by Reps. Cantor (R-VA) and Hoyer (D-MD), which passed the House almost unanimously (407-6), and threatens to suspend aid to Palestine if they proceed with the UN vote this September and advance toward a deal with Hamas.
--The US's inability to translate words to action: Again, no progress to speak of following Obama's speech; the loss of a widely-respected envoy (Mitchell) who failed to invest the two parties in productive dialogue; a replacement for Mitchell, David Hale, who has barely been visible on the issue; and an American administration very reticent to convene the Quartet out of almost total disbelief that it could produce any effective course of action heading into the summer.
--I suggested that Washington's paradoxical objectives (protection of Israel while maintaining access to Arab oil supplies) can often create an obstacle to developing a coherent policy in the region.
- Amy Greene
I contributed an analysis of the American political landscape with the following reflections:
--How strong is Obama's political will to press this issue? Currently on his plate: consuming debt negotiations and the early stages of the 2012 electoral cycle. Israel's defense and security is a US domestic electoral issue. Even if Obama were willing to take a harder line to transform his May 2011 speech into action, this would necessarily involve increased pressure on Israel and opening himself (and his campaign) to avid criticism from across the two-party spectrum, including from representatives protecting their own seats in their home districts.
--A closer look at US domestic opposition to the Palestinian vote this September: I signaled the resolution proposed by Reps. Cantor (R-VA) and Hoyer (D-MD), which passed the House almost unanimously (407-6), and threatens to suspend aid to Palestine if they proceed with the UN vote this September and advance toward a deal with Hamas.
--The US's inability to translate words to action: Again, no progress to speak of following Obama's speech; the loss of a widely-respected envoy (Mitchell) who failed to invest the two parties in productive dialogue; a replacement for Mitchell, David Hale, who has barely been visible on the issue; and an American administration very reticent to convene the Quartet out of almost total disbelief that it could produce any effective course of action heading into the summer.
--I suggested that Washington's paradoxical objectives (protection of Israel while maintaining access to Arab oil supplies) can often create an obstacle to developing a coherent policy in the region.
- Amy Greene
Thursday, January 28, 2010
COMMENTING THE 2010 STATE OF THE UNION
President Obama's first State of the Union (SOTU) address on January 27 brought the focus back to the domestic front without neglecting to discuss America's international engagements. In what at times sounded like a recap of his campaign speeches, Obama hit on a number of agenda priorities, like:
- Focus on job creation and economic growth, especially by mass funding green energy/new technologies and infrastructure improvements
- Recognize health care reform as the key to reducing the deficit and providing a basic right to all America's people
- Eliminate lobbyist influence on lawmaking while promoting bipartisanship and plain-dealing in Washington politics
- Vigorously pursue sweeping non-proliferation goals; and
- Pursue systematic engagement as core tenet of US diplomacy in order to build new alliances, to marginalize "rogue states," and to act multilaterally on any number of issues.
The SOTU raised more than a few reflections:
- Will his speech ease America's anger over the coddling of bankers at the expense of advancement on Main Street?
- Was Obama's nuts-and-bolts explanation of health care reform enough to reverse growing skepticism? Or has the opposition beaten the White House to the punch by taking control of the debate and effectively driving the public perception of what reform would mean/look like?
- Will Obama's cost-reduction proposal convince skeptical voters (especially undecideds in the lead-up to the 2010 midterm elections) that Obama is fiscally-responsible even though he leads a big-spending presidency?
- Perhaps taking the advice of a recent column by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, Obama went on the offensive several times, reminding America that he inherited a mess (economic, diplomatic, etc.) and did not hesitate to blame Bush.
- Obama did not define exactly who are "the terrorists who threaten our nation," and where exactly the US is going as it "take[s] the fight to al Qaeda." In some sense, the Obama rhetoric on these questions has not evolved beyond Bush-era vagueness and ambiguity.
- Obama showed unequivocal clarity on the dynamics of US withdrawal from Iraq while sticking to the broadest lines regarding its Afghanistan strategy
- Self-deprecating at times, more optimistic during others, Obama's first SOTU was anything but triumphant in tone. Focusing on the hard work and defining values of the American people, Obama's most successful pleas were the rhetorical leans on government to better honor its people's long-term interests.
- Overall, the SOTU reinforced the notion that Obama's first year was heavy on new starts and light on measurable results, all while laying out a consistent message for the president's agenda during the coming year(s).
- Amy Greene
- Focus on job creation and economic growth, especially by mass funding green energy/new technologies and infrastructure improvements
- Recognize health care reform as the key to reducing the deficit and providing a basic right to all America's people
- Eliminate lobbyist influence on lawmaking while promoting bipartisanship and plain-dealing in Washington politics
- Vigorously pursue sweeping non-proliferation goals; and
- Pursue systematic engagement as core tenet of US diplomacy in order to build new alliances, to marginalize "rogue states," and to act multilaterally on any number of issues.
The SOTU raised more than a few reflections:
- Will his speech ease America's anger over the coddling of bankers at the expense of advancement on Main Street?
- Was Obama's nuts-and-bolts explanation of health care reform enough to reverse growing skepticism? Or has the opposition beaten the White House to the punch by taking control of the debate and effectively driving the public perception of what reform would mean/look like?
- Will Obama's cost-reduction proposal convince skeptical voters (especially undecideds in the lead-up to the 2010 midterm elections) that Obama is fiscally-responsible even though he leads a big-spending presidency?
- Perhaps taking the advice of a recent column by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, Obama went on the offensive several times, reminding America that he inherited a mess (economic, diplomatic, etc.) and did not hesitate to blame Bush.
- Obama did not define exactly who are "the terrorists who threaten our nation," and where exactly the US is going as it "take[s] the fight to al Qaeda." In some sense, the Obama rhetoric on these questions has not evolved beyond Bush-era vagueness and ambiguity.
- Obama showed unequivocal clarity on the dynamics of US withdrawal from Iraq while sticking to the broadest lines regarding its Afghanistan strategy
- Self-deprecating at times, more optimistic during others, Obama's first SOTU was anything but triumphant in tone. Focusing on the hard work and defining values of the American people, Obama's most successful pleas were the rhetorical leans on government to better honor its people's long-term interests.
- Overall, the SOTU reinforced the notion that Obama's first year was heavy on new starts and light on measurable results, all while laying out a consistent message for the president's agenda during the coming year(s).
- Amy Greene
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)