In a somewhat schizophrenic report on Tuesday’s CBS Evening News, White House correspondent Chip Reid proclaimed President Obama is: "still the darling of the international community. Warmly welcomed by a world that grew weary of President Bush’s brash go-it-alone style." But also admitted: "But with scant progress on a long his of issues, the question now is what does he have to show for it?"
Anchor Katie Couric opened the segment by asking Reid: "Can the President be anything other than the center of attention? Can he do more with that?" Reid replied: "He sure would like to be, Katie. You know, at every international summit he has attended he has been the most popular person in the room. But now many people are asking what good is popularity if it doesn’t lead to concrete results?" After denouncing President Bush’s "brash style," Reid praised Obama for his "sharp departure" which " has recommitted the United States to working with the U.N. and engaging the world."
However, Reid spent the remainder of the segment demonstrating how that break with the Bush administration has failed to achieve any results: "The President orchestrated a mini summit today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but in the end, the result was a hand shake, not a break through....Mr. Obama has reached out to rogue nations like Iran, but that hasn’t stopped President Ahmadinejad...from pursuing a nuclear program."
Reid concluding his report by noting: "There are two very busy days still to go in this summit, but the White House is actively downplaying expectations because they concede there won’t be much in the way of immediate results."
Here is a full transcript of Reid’s report:
6:34PM
KATIE COURIC: Among the world leaders here in New York is President Obama, making his U.N. debut today at a world conference on climate change. Our chief White House correspondent Chip Reid is at the U.N. tonight. And Chip, can the President be anything other than the center of attention? Can he do more with that?
CHIP REID: He sure would like to be, Katie. You know, at every international summit he has attended he has been the most popular person in the room. But now many people are asking what good is popularity if it doesn’t lead to concrete results? After eight months in office, he’s still the darling of the international community. Warmly welcomed by a world that grew weary of President Bush’s brash go-it-alone style. In a sharp departure, President Obama has recommitted the United States to working with the U.N. and engaging the world.
BARACK OBAMA: This is a new day. It is a new era.
REID: But with scant progress on a long his of issues, the question now is what does he have to show for it? Take Middle East peace.
OBAMA: It is past time to talk about starting negotiations. It is time to move forward.
REID: After months of behind-the-scenes work, the President orchestrated a mini summit today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but in the end, the result was a hand shake, not a break through. He also met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, but there was no word of progress on defusing major trade disputes. Mr. Obama has reached out to rogue nations like Iran, but that hasn’t stopped President Ahmadinejad – who speaks at the U.N. tomorrow – from pursuing a nuclear program.
JUAN ZARATE [CBS NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST]: The President runs the risk that the images out of New York will be a symbol of his attempts to reach out to rogue regimes in a way that may not be effective.
REID: One issue getting little attention at the U.N. summit is the war in Afghanistan. Today in Washington, though, Senator John McCain lashed out at the President for not sending more troops, which his top general there says is essential for success.
JOHN MCCAIN: I have never seen a disconnect like this between the military leadership and the White House on an issue.
REID: There are two very busy days still to go in this summit, but the White House is actively downplaying expectations because they concede there won’t be much in the way of immediate results. Katie.
COURIC: Chip Reid, thanks, Chip. Before flying to the U.S., Iran’s president was talking tough at a military parade in Tehran, marking the 29th anniversary of the Iran/Iraq war. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned that his forces will quote, ‘cut the hand of anyone who attacks Iran over its nuclear program.’ But the display of force turned tragic when a military jet crashed south of the city. Seven people were killed. By the way, before President Ahmadinejad talks to the U.N. tomorrow, he’ll talk with us. I’ll have that exclusive interview on tomorrow’s CBS Evening News.
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.




















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Comments Policy
It's hard to accomplish
September 23, 2009 - 12:41 ET by rockyracoonIt's hard to accomplish anything when you're either threatening everybody via your czars, or out playing golf and basketball.
Remember how the MSM always criticized Bush for his vacation
September 23, 2009 - 15:05 ET by lsudolemitetime? Well I want to know how Obama has time to do actual governing while he's running off giving campaign speeches to unions and doing self-promotion on Letterman.
I think
September 23, 2009 - 15:08 ET by katainkenthe thinks this is his job. He's delegated everything else. (Wouldn't be so bad except he's delegated to extreme leftists and still promoting himself as center/center-right.)
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The Emperor, he has no clothes
Has the time finally come for the NOTUS?
September 23, 2009 - 12:56 ET by vrwc13...has the curtain be pulled on the NOTUS?
v
...an error was made in 2008
On what criteria are these
September 23, 2009 - 12:55 ET by G. MayOn what criteria are these people basing Obama's seemingly overwelming popularity? The fact of the matter is that up until ditching the missile defense program, he hadn't made any significant departures from Bush's foreign policies. His mideast policy isn't really policy more than it is the usual talk and platitudes.
These people are parodies of themselves.
Obama is quite a sharp
September 23, 2009 - 12:57 ET by eaglewingz08Obama is quite a sharp departure from Bush. Bush got results Obama just gets smiles.Maybe we should be happy that all Obama gets are smiles considering his highly questionable beliefs and the persons who surround him.
'Obama just gets smiles'
September 23, 2009 - 15:03 ET by JDWYou do not like watching the Obama 'I hate America' UN dances? The czars are coming out with a new song, 'We Are Very Sorry'.
I wish the news media would replay the speech this week on days when Obama is not on television, maybe in the evening to attract more viewers (nothing but reruns anyway).
JDW
DAILY WAVE
I didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of money
JDW--
September 23, 2009 - 17:00 ET by Kat Outta the Bag"I wish the news media would replay the speech this week on days when Obama is not on television..."
What days would that be?
significant departures from Bush's foreign policies
September 23, 2009 - 13:05 ET by CarlosSObama did throw our friends, the Irsraelis, under the bus..., that's quite a departure from Bush foreign policy..., just a week or so after throwing our friends, the Polish, under the foreign-policy-bus.
He hasn't thrown the
September 23, 2009 - 13:46 ET by G. MayHe hasn't thrown the Israelis under the bus yet. Right now, there hasn't been anything more than his usual talk. Substantial change in policy has yet to occur.
He's been classic Obama so far - talk to appease your base, do very little.
However, Reid spent the
September 23, 2009 - 13:01 ET by MidAmericaHowever, Reid spent the remainder of the segment demonstrating how that break with the Bush administration has failed to achieve any results:
Oh gee! A man who had accomplished nothing by his late forties except self-promotion, and people are surprised he hasn't accomplished anything in the last nine months?
It's Election Time
September 23, 2009 - 15:07 ET by JDWReid just cut a Medicare deal for Nevada
JDW
DAILY WAVE
I didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of money
Failure
September 23, 2009 - 13:14 ET by jaywlSlowly, a line at a time, the press is beginning to let the people in on the obvious: That Obama, for all his wondrous, magical ways the MSM loves has not changed the world a wit for the better. At the UN his speech brought forth a scathing response from Michael Gerson on Foxnews, letting Obama have it for continuing the US bashing he is famous worldwide for. I have seen Gerson many times and read his commentaries from the WaPost in RealClear, but never have I seen him so upset. I hope that the criticism of his foreign policy we are just beginning to see will translate into an open discussion of the effects his "fundamental transformation of the United States" will do. Is there hope?
I Guess It Is Strict Parsing, But...
September 23, 2009 - 13:24 ET by Wildcatter1980...Obama and the Democrats are succeeding at destroying the very fiber of American Exceptionalism, the fact that individuals allowed to live free can be the best they can be, accomplish great things and, in the process, take care of themselves without the need for a paternalistic--and overbearing--government.
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We need to stop calling them "Progressives" when in reality they are big government "Socialists" who no longer value the individual's rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
→ You got it Wildcatter
September 23, 2009 - 13:31 ET by Cool ArrowBut an organization of Slave Traders who will deal in foreign children?
Now that's Obama's America.
The professor must be so proud.
"Progressives"
September 23, 2009 - 16:10 ET by pbanks7Anyone who has read David Horowitz's autobiography will know that his Communist parents and their friends referred to themselves as "progressives." So, let's call them what they really are: Communists. Will I get in trouble for saying, "Let's call a spade a spade?"
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe, then confirming it with a poll.
'...still the darling of
September 23, 2009 - 14:40 ET by Chris Norman'...still the darling of the international community... what does he have to show for it?"
Why is this a problem for the Chipster? I thought style alone was enough for the media.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Yeah!
September 23, 2009 - 16:12 ET by pbanks7So NOW someone in the media asks what he has to show for his efforts? Where was this guy a year ago? Oh yeah, in the tank.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe, then confirming it with a poll.
Re Poland
September 23, 2009 - 14:45 ET by slickwillie2001Re the shafting of Poland on the anniversary day of their invasion by the Soviet Red Army, there has to be more to this. Just as we found that his hatred of the British might have been founded in his father's problems in British-ruled Kenya, I suspect that the Bamster hates the Poles as well for some particular reason. Could he be that petty? Duh.
Chicago has many Polish, perhaps a Polish organization in Chicago endorsed someone else in one of his elections. Maybe there's some tie-in with him and Rezko. There's a long history in Chicago of violence between different ethnic groups including the Polish. Maybe the white girlfriend he had in Columbia was Polish.
Someone needs to do some digging.
Sorry Chip, but
September 23, 2009 - 15:07 ET by lsudolemite"concrete results" are above Obama's pay grade. He'll be more than happy to give you a meaningless, inane speech, however.
...worth repeating - Nader gets one right
September 23, 2009 - 15:16 ET by vrwc13Ralph Nader finally gets one right...
What's your take on President Obama thus far?
Weak. Waffling, wavering, ambiguous and overwhelmingly concessionary. h/t Drudge
v
...an error was made in 2008