Analyzing "the speech"

David Levy's analysis of Obama's Cairo speech is worth reading.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/04/10_comments_on_obama_in_cairo_-_still_accumulating/

Particularly striking was that President Obama almost certainly has emerged from the Cairo speech having accumulated additional capital rather than expending it, with greater popularity, traction, and respect among not only his ostensible target audience, the Muslim world, but also globally, including at home in America and even in Israel and with the world's Jewish community. His future leverage across a range of issues has been enhanced.

Little george w. bush shrinks in stature every time Obama does it so well. And, to his credit, he does not flaunt it or go out of his way to point out dubya's mistakes, not does he reflexively do everything differently (to the consternation of some progressives); but neither does he shy away from saying, and doing, what needs to be done.

Like his other major speeches, the Cairo address to the Muslim world was moving to listeners; and it reads even better on analysis, when you realize the vast knowledge and sensitivity that went into all the details, the subtle messages that were knowingly sent, and the balanced tone of understanding and tough expectations.

The way he handled the Israeli-Palestinian issue was, to my mind, sheer genius. At the same time, it is genius only in the context of how wrong-headed our policy and tone have been. It is only what it should have been all along.

The genius is in Obama's being able to turn the lumbering battleship around with grace and balance, with his empathic ability to speak to adversaries with respect and understanding of their plight.

Ralph