George Stephanopoulos: Obama Trip a 'Clean Success'

Former Bill Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos firmly declared Barack Obama's trip a "clean success" on Friday's "Good Morning America." "You just cannot take that away from him," the "This Week" anchor proclaimed. Responding to a question by co-host Diane Sawyer about the visit's elaborate pageantry, Stephanopoulos asserted, "I don't think there's much risk of a backlash here."

Despite the accolades of success, Sawyer, in a worried tone, pointed out: "...Because you have this disconnect between what we see overseas and the fact that some polls are softening here at home in some key states." (She then cited new polls showing McCain leading in Colorado and pulling to within two in Minnesota.) In a previous segment, correspondent Jake Tapper continued his contrarian reporting on Obama's European tour. After highlighting the large crowds for the Democrat's speech in Berlin, he discussed John McCain's campaign back in the U.S. and, in a snarky jab at the Illinois senator, pointed out: "McCain supporters were fewer in number but they're actually able to vote in America."

Tapper closed his live report from Paris, Obama's next stop, by posing a question not often asked by the reporters who are entranced with the Illinois senator: "The question for voters is whether or not they think the images they've seen of Obama meeting with world leaders from Kabul to Ten Downing Street in London are indicative of a powerful presidential promise or if they're just a bunch of pretty pictures."

A transcript of the July 25 George Stephanopoulos segment, which aired at 7:11am, follows:

DIANE SAWYER: Now for the bottom line as we turn to chief Washington correspondent, host of "This Week," George Stephanopoulos.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Hi, Diane.

SAWYER: So, George, is this a clean success or does he risk a backlash from the pomp and circumstance overseas?

STEPHANOPOULOS: I don't think there's much risk of a backlash here. The trip on its own terms was a clean success. You just cannot take that away from him. We don't know yet what kind of impact it's had on voters. There hasn't been any good test of that yet. That's clear. And the Obama campaign now does know. They've spent a lot of time on the international stage now over the last week, seven full days out of the country. They know they have to make a hard turn now to the economy, to do the thing that most Americans are worried about.

SAWYER: Yeah, because you have this disconnect between what we see overseas and the fact that some polls are softening here at home in some key states. Minnesota is the one that comes to mind. 17-point lead down to two points now?

STEPHANOPOULOS: This is so interesting. In some of the key battleground states, according to the Quinnipiac poll, John McCain has made up a lot of ground in the last month. You see there in Minnesota. You're right. The last time that was polled, Barack Obama was 17 points ahead. Now it's only two. John McCain has pulled ahead in the state of Colorado, an important target for Barack Obama even --

SAWYER: Two convention states there.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Exactly right. Even more important, the state of Michigan. I don't know if we have that, as well. But McCain is close now in Michigan and Michigan is the key to his electoral strategy. If he can steal that state from the Democrats, he's got a great chance of winning.

SAWYER: Which seems to be an economic issue at the forefront there.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Absolutely.

SAWYER: Okay, vice presidency. There's a sense that next week maybe we could get a vice presidential nominee on one side or the other?

STEPHANOPOULOS: I am trying to run this down right now. "The Washington Post" reported this morning that John McCain is going to pick his vice presidential choice, that he's ready to make it, all but ready to make it and it will come before the Olympics open on August 8th. There's some disagreement, though, in the McCain camp about that. We'll see. It is possible. And if you look at the traditional choices, the people are pretty sure being vetted right now. You go to Michigan, Mitt Romney's home state. He's been out there campaigning hard for John McCain so far. He's said to be on the short list, also Minnesota, Governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty. Another possibility, the former governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge, also the head of Homeland Security under President Bush. A close friend of John McCain. Problem for him, pro-choice.

SAWYER: But you told us earlier that he was talking about scrambling the jets.

STEPHANOPOULOS: His old navy fighter pilot jargon.

SAWYER: Which means--

STEPHANOPOULOS: Daring move. Get all the jets out there at the same time. If he was going long, here are some possibilities. He's a very close friend of Joe Lieberman. The problem with Joe Lieberman, of course, he's a former Democrat, now an independent. The base of the party would be very upset. Same idea with Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York or Rudy Giuliani and every one of those cases it would send a message he's reaching for the middle of the country. It would cause some grumbling in the Republican base.

SAWYER: And what about Obama? Any word on the timing or the candidate?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Again, the timing it's sort of all over the map. I'm being pushed more towards the idea it's going to come after he gets some time away in mid-August but, again, it could happen at any time. This is likely the short list right now. Senator from Delaware, Joe Biden, national security credentials. He's grown close to Barack Obama over the course of the last several weeks. Evan Bayh, senator from Indiana, member of the Armed Services Committee, former governor of Indiana. Governor of Virginia, Tim. Kaine, Catholic, also is one of the first governors to endorse Barack Obama. And then, of course, Hillary Clinton, still on the list. 18 million votes.

SAWYER: Still in there.

STEPHANOPOULOS: It's hard to take her off the list but all the indications are that she is not Barack Obama's top choice.

SAWYER: All right. Well, go online if you want more of George's bottom line and, of course, this weekend you've got an exclusive interview.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I'm going out to Arizona to talk to John McCain. He'll get his media coverage this weekend.

SAWYER: That's right. You'll do that and it's on this morning -- "This Week," of course, on Sunday morning. Thanks, George.