History made in Strasbourg today

Today’s Strasbourg town hall was a milestone.

In 60 minutes Obama took blame for our arrogance in the Bush years, told Europe to lose its anti-Americanism, that America is changing but Europe needs to change too, reminded us all that France is our oldest friend, and how we brought Europe and Japan to their feet after WWII with the Marshall Plan.

Of course, the media has no patience for important thing like a re-invigoration of our alliances.  I switched over to CNN where David Gergen and AC were discussing how Obama had been rebuffed because he couldn’t get major troop commitments for Afganistan.

Does anyone really expect that after 8 years of Bush the Europeans will just say ‘yes America, anything you want’ like that?  I mean the man is good, but he can’t walk on water!

Sure we could throw our weight around and TELL our allies what to do.  And how would that be change?  In fact it would be a continuation of the last eight years.

Instead, Obama is leading.

UPDATE 4/5: Jack Welch calls it “masterful”.  At least I’m glad the pundits let sane people do the talking sometimes.

AC 360 a dud

I just watched Anderson Cooper 360 where for twenty minutes the discussion was whether the continuing market slide was an indication that Obama’s handling and policies were duds.

Not once did they mention that in just the last week we’ve had 2 more bank bailouts, the largest quarterly loss in history, ‘worse than expected’ home sales numbers, several dividend cuts, more mass layoffs, worst ever car sales, Warren Buffet having his worse year in 44 years career, and his declaration that “the economy will be in shambles throughout 2009”.

Each of these can easily knock the market a couple points.  If anything I’m amazed we’ve had some days with minimal losses.

No no no, according to the three guests (including a WSJ editor) the market was passing judgment on poor leadership, coming tax increases and a stimulus package that is really only “one-third stimulus”.

Perhaps they’re just regurgitating the CNBC take, with no real analysis of their own.  Or maybe the fight with ‘special interests’ is now full on.

I wonder what these guests will say when the market makes any gains:  The market loves higher capital gains taxes!!  Yeah right.