When Barack Obama visited Europe 8 months ago as a presidential candidate, he was selling himself to voters as someone who could look presidential while also selling himself to the world as someone who would engage other nations differently – and less unilaterally – than President George W. Bush did.
While his opponent, John McCain, took the opportunity to skewer the rock-star aspect of that trip, his already high popularity rating in Europe skyrocketed after his visit.
Now, Mr. Obama's about to embark on a return trip to Europe, his first overseas trip since taking office, and his sales pitch has shifted due to the current conditions – the global economic meltdown and the war in Afghanistan.
The president's challenge? To take advantage of the Europeans' high regard for him and to persuade them to follow his lead on rescuing the economy and to offer more help with the war in Afghanistan.
And the burning question: Can Mr. Obama's popularity in Europe translate into results?- CBS News Story
This is a big test for Obama. Can he sell his product overseas? He went on a whirlwind tour during the election with Rockstar like appeal, now can he translate that into support for his packages?
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