FEEL GOOD - FOR NOW - AT 8:48 A.M. ET:  The media continues to feature these feel-good pieces about how Obama has improved our relations with Europe.  Of course, these never seem to include the countries of Eastern Europe, which Obama is apparently prepared to throw under the bus to satisfy the Soviet Union.  From the Politico:

President Barack Obama has made significant strides toward repairing America’s strained relationship with Europe, according to an annual transatlantic survey.

Among Europeans, 41 percent — double the number in 2008 — believe that transatlantic ties have improved over the past year and 31 percent of Americans believe the same, triple the amount from one year ago.

Seventy-seven percent of Europeans supported Obama’s handling of foreign policy, a stark contrast to European perceptions of President George W. Bush’s approach.

He is come, he is come.  Hallelujah!

Until you get to the fine print:

“Obama was very popular in western Europe even as a presidential candidate,” said (pollster) Nyiri. “On his trips to Berlin and London, he was seen as a rock star.”

But he's not a rock star.  He's not supposed to be an entertainer.  He's a president, I think.

More fine print:

Despite Obama’s popularity, Iran, climate change and the war in Afghanistan continued to be points of conflict.

Forty-seven percent of Americans supported negotiation, backed by threat of military action, to eradicate Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. But 53 percent of people in the European Union ruled out the use of military force.

Concern over climate change ran considerably higher in the European Union (84 percent) than in the United States (65 percent). And Americans were “less willing to trade off economic growth to slow the warming of the planet,” the poll results reported.

While 63 percent of Europeans were doubtful that the situation in Afghanistan could stabilize, 56 percent of Americans were optimistic.

COMMENT:  What you're seeing is "popularity by not governing," an increasing domestic criticism of Obama.  When he must finally make major decisions on these issues, will he go with popularity abroad, or will he make the right decisions for his country?

The fact that we can't be sure is the fact that is most worrisome.  Popularity has its price.

September 9, 2009