"Where is the love" was a popular 1970's tune.
We ask today: Where is all that love that Obama's election was supposed to create toward the US?
Last summer, candidate BO toured Europe and was greeted by "movie star" crowds.
They cheered every line except the one about sending troops to Afghanistan.
Today, the "Euros" are not exactly in love with all of those Obama deficits!
In fact, The Economist just posted a very tough editorial called Learning the hard way:
"Take the G20 meeting in London, to which he will head at the end of next week.
The most important task for this would-be institution is to set itself firmly against protectionism at a time when most of its members are engaged in a game of creeping beggar-thy-neighbour.
Yet how can Mr Obama lead the fight when he has just pandered to America’s unions by sparking a minor trade war with Mexico?
And how can he set a new course for NATO at its 60th-anniversary summit a few days later if he is appeasing his party with talk of leaving Afghanistan?"
Mona Charen has a good post, too:
"Secretary of State Clinton presented a cutesy “reset” button to the Russian ambassador.
But apparently the State Department had gotten the Russian word wrong. Instead of “reset” it said “overcharge.” (Rebooting America’s Global Image Not Going Well)
According to news reports, Obama Faces Cold Reception in Europe!
Again, the Euros read the "stimulus" plan! They don't like it! This is the one that Pres BO and the Dems didn't read but signed into law anyway.
They specially don't like the protectionist smell of the stimulus bill!
Even The NY Times, the voice of the American left, is reporting this: Obama Will Face a Defiant World on Foreign Visit! (I thought that once we elected Obama people were going to love us!)
"The point is: the rest of the world will not follow the U.S. just because a charming American president smiles and compliments everyone in his path.
This is not the first indication that Obama’s charm has its limitations.
He is having a hard time getting Europe to pledge more troops to Afghanistan and convincing the Continent to take in Guantanamo Bay detainees.
This is to say nothing of his depressing failure to flatter hostile nations into cooperating with us."
To be fair, US presidents always face hostile crowds.
Nevertheless, it's surprising to see how Europe is falling out of love with Obama.
It reminds of something that Gerard Baker of the UK wrote in 2007: Oh George, what will we do when you’re gone?
They can't blame Pres Bush anymore.
The Euros are waking up and discovering a couple of things about their beloved Obama:
1) He is the most protectionist president in US history. Just ask the Mexicans!
2) He will continue Pres Bush's program in Iraq. The US will leave 50,000 troops permanently there.
3) He will send a major military force into Afghanistan. Pres BO is expecting the Euros to do their part! (Where is the love, where are the troops)
They can't blame Pres Bush anymore.
They can't use Pres Bush as their excuse for doing nothing or refusing to face reality!
P.S. I couldn't find a video of the original version by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.
This is Dana singing "Where is the love":
"Where is the love
You said you'd give to me soon as you were free
will it ever be
Where is the love?
You told me that you didn't love her,
and you were gonna say goodbye
but if you really didn't mean it,
why did you have to lie?
Where is the love,
you said was mine all mine,
till the end of time
was it just a lie where is the love
If you had had a sudden change of heart
I wish that you would tell me
so don't leave me hangin on the promises
you've got to let me know
Oh how I wish I never met you
I guess it must have been my fate
to fall in love with someone else's love
all I can do is wait
Where is the love"
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