Commentary: Obama has best day as President

By James Carville
CNN Contributor

Editor's Note: James Carville, a Democratic strategist who serves as a political contributor for CNN, was the Clinton-Gore campaign manager in 1992 and political adviser to President Clinton. He is active in Democratic politics and a party fundraiser.

James Carville says the president's trip to England was a success.

(CNN) -- If a statesman is one who looks to the next generation and a politician one who looks to the next election, a political consultant must be one who looks to the next tracking poll. Well, I'll go one better and just look at today -- April 2, 2009.
This has most likely been President Obama's best single day since inauguration.
His and first lady Michelle Obama's first foray onto the world stage since being elected cannot be dubbed anything but successful. Obama appeared to be quite comfortable and confident as president of the United States at the G-20 summit that produced an unprecedented global economic recovery package.
The president's polling numbers at home are coming in at an impressive rate. A Democracy Corps poll taken this week found that the percentage of likely voters saying the country is going in the right direction is up to 38 percent, the highest level recorded in more than three years.
His budget is sure to be passed by Congress. And the recent special election in New York's 20th Congressional District in which Democrat Scott Murphy initially trailed by more than 20 points -- but wound up slightly ahead before officials count absentee ballots -- shows that the GOP is making few, if any gains among voters.
To top it all off (at least for now), the financial markets are expressing confidence in the president's leadership as they are expected to close up for the fourth straight week.
However, the real measure of how well the president is doing is indicated by two stunning events in the Republican Party just Thursday. First, on Rick Sanchez's program on CNN, Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tennessee, completely dissed the de-facto leader of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, by referring to him as an "entertainer," which is the more common description only the left-wing blogosphere would dare to use.

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Wamp went on to say that he didn't pay attention to Limbaugh. I'll bet that the Zachster did a little polling in Tennessee and discovered that El Rushbo would be a pretty heavy load to carry around the Volunteer State in his run for governor.
Then my friend and a recent guest at my class at Tulane University, GOP strategist extraordinaire and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, became so frustrated with the Republican congressional leadership that Thursday in Missouri he opened up the possibility of a third party forming before the 2012 election. "If the Republicans can't break out of being the right wing party of big government, then I think you would see a third party movement in 2012," Gingrich reportedly said.
Clearly a day does not make a presidency. But if President Obama has more like April 2, 2009, he'll be able to govern much more like a statesman than a politician.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Carville.

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North Korea Missle set to be Launched

North Korea apparently is set to launch a rocket that has the world's attention.The State Department told North Korea today that they must not launch their rocket. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that "consequences" of the lauch would be inevitable towards North Korea if the launch takes place. A State Department official says "We call on the north to desist from launching any type of missile. It would be counterproductive, it's provocative, it further inflames tensions in the region," he said. "We want to see the North get back to the six-party framework and focus on denuclearization. The situation right now in the region is very tense. Everyone is on edge and we want to try to do what we can to prevent this launch from happening." he added."And we are using every possible avenue that we have diplomatically to do that."
All that North Korea says about the rocket is that it will carry a satellite into orbit.
What may be the main reason for the launch? The United States and other countries fear the main purpose of the launch, regardless of the payload, is to allow North Korea to gain valuable information about improving its ballistic missile program.
Japan is watching the possible launch by North Korea very closely. They have recently mobilized their missile defense system in response to the planned launch. They plan to shoot down the missile or any part of it are the intentions of the Japanese just in case debris falls over Japan.

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1st Day for the Obama's prior attending the G20 Conference in Brittain

Barack Obama, the rising star and within 3 months has become the leading world leader. As one of the most popular Presidents to attend the G20 Conference, President Barack Obama is doing what he does best and with ease. He truly is in his element, as he announced new arms negotiations with the Russian president, then had a discussion with the Chinese President about North Korea, and then talked with the British prime minister about the global economy. In the following clip, President Obama presses for Economic Reform.



So how does he end his busy day on Wednesday? How about a cup of tea with Queen Elizabeth II. Wow.. He is living his dream and is becoming more popular every day. In Europe, you might say that he is still on his 'honeymoon'. No other U.S. President from modern time had his popularity last so long at the beginning of the presidency. President Obama appears to be breaking every prior record for a U.S. President, starting with his popularity.
For being his first trip overseas as President, his second day will allow him with his first face-to-face meeting with all the world leaders except Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Already known from his meeting with the Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, both leaders confirmed that talks would soon begin "to work out a new, comprehensive, legally binding agreement on reducing and limiting strategic offensive arms."
President Obama plans on future travel in July and meet Medvedev in Russia again in July. Things to be discussed in July will be a common interest in "reducing nuclear stockpiles and promoting nuclear nonproliferation" across the world.
Another issue already discussed was an arms issue with the Chinese President Hu Jintao after President Obama's discussion with the Russian President. Apparently, North Korea has planned to launch what they say is a satellite, that most likely will happen as early as this weekend. Obama views this launch as "a provocative act," and has plans to seek action from the U.N. Security Council if there is a launch. Obama believes that the launch is a violation of Security Council resolutions regarding the launch of ballistic missiles.
There were discussions about the global economy and human rights issues with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
In their conversions, President Obama accepted an invitation to visit China, and most likely will take place in the fall or winter months of 2009.
At the top of the list as expected, is the subject of 'global economy', and President Obama wants every leader to treat this subject with urgency.

Watch as Obama says the U.S. will do its share »

Obama finished his whirlwind of meetings with tea at Buckingham Palace with the British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, where, according to media reports, the president gave the queen a fully loaded, engraved iPod and a rare, signed songbook from American composer Richard Rodgers.
"It was a wonderful visit," Obama said as he and his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, left the palace, according to media reports. "Her Majesty is delightful."
Immediately below are a few of the pictures taken during  the first day.

 

G20 leaders gathered in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2009, are pictured with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, center, at London's Buckingham Palace. Back from left: Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations; Pascal Lamy, Director General of the World Trade Organisation; Abhisit Vejjajiva, Chair of ASEAN and Prime Minister of Thailand; Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy; Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan; Mirek Topolanek, President of the European Council;Professor Mario Draghi, Chairman of the Financial Stability Forum; Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank. Middle from left: Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia; Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada; Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany; Jose Luis Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain; Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Kgalema Motlanthe, President of South Africa; Barack Obama, President of the United States of America; Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey; Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India; Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission; Meles Zenawi Chair of NEPAD and Prime Minister of Ethiopia). Front from left: Lee Myung-bak, President of Korea; Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France; King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia; Hu Jintao, President of China; Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Queen Elizabeth II; Luiz Innacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Susilo, Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia; Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico; Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina; Dmitry A Medvedev, President of Russia. 

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Michelle and Barack Meet Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip 

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Barack Obama 

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  The picture immediate above are WAX FIGURES

  of Queen Elizabeth II and Barack Obama

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