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June 4, 2009
A new beginning
Posted: 07:37 PM ET
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U.S. President Barack Obama makes his key Middle East speech at Cairo University
U.S. President Barack Obama makes his key Middle East speech at Cairo University

Jami Floyd
In Session anchor

President Obama made a historic speech today in the Middle East. Speaking in Cairo to dignitaries, state officials and university students, Obama sought to reframe the relationship between the U.S. and the Muslim world. Barack Obama is the right messenger to bring a new image of America to the Middle East. He spoke of his Kenyan father’s Muslim faith; he spoke of his childhood in Indonesia; and — unlike here at home — there, in the Middle East he freely used his middle name: Hussein.

They seem to like his style. But what were the sum and substance of his remarks? For those in the Middle East, it is clear. He seeks to rebuild bridges. For us here at home, however, the message is slightly and subtly different. For us, it is to change our mindset; to stop thinking of the Arab world as our enemy and Muslim values as antithetical to our own.

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7 Comments
More about: 360° Radar •  Barack Obama •  Global 360° •  Raw Politics
7 Comments
Annie Kate   June 4th, 2009 8:06 pm ET

Jamie

Good points. I hope that us citizens of the US do not let our President down and are able to overcome our fear of what we do not know or understand and come to appreciate Islam and its people and its incredible contribution to the world we live in.

Terry, TX   June 4th, 2009 8:44 pm ET

Yeah...Yeah...Yeah....Muslims good....Americans and Jews bad...well congratulations ...we have elected our first defacto Muslim President.

karim   June 4th, 2009 9:01 pm ET

true story
the last words that my father said to me as i got in the car of my friend who was driving me to the airport coming to the united states were:
"son be straight and honest with those americans and they will help you and take you all the way to the top with them , americans are good people at heart "
bush and his administration were not representatives of those whom my father spoke of
president obama and his administration are ...
people around the world have been inspired by americans , their innovation , their struggle for freedom and equality , their success , and definitely their movies lol...
i urge the republican party to stop ... please stop bieng outdated ...stop bieng stubborn ...negative ....and stop insisting on pretending that your previous administration didnt hurt our image around the world ...theyve even hurt us here at home...please be in touch with us the people ....be in touch with reality ....gather , reorganise , and rearrange ...but for now just stop
one more thing a note for mr romney ....would you ever tell your child that its wrong to appologise for something he believed to be wrong
would you ever tell him appologising makes us look bad as youve commented on presidents obamas position
stop

Isabel, Brazil   June 4th, 2009 9:14 pm ET

A moment of clarity in the middle of the irrationality of the long war in the Middle East. That was the speech of President Obama. But there are times when it is inevitable the feeling of being right in front of someone fair, but naive. Speaking of women's rights in countries where they do not have the most basic rights, talk about democracy when the largest ally of the United States in the area has a totalitarian monarchy, criticizing the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory when the Israeli government makes a shift to more the right. Everything seems unreal.

But despite the ingenuous tone I liked the speech. It could not be different. A speech with a conciliatory tone, even in self.

tanya   June 4th, 2009 9:19 pm ET

first anderson i woud like to say i'm not a muslim,but that speech president obama gave in ciaro egypt was amazing.the president made me look at the muslim world in a new light.the speech was tackle on so many issues,that i think no american president could have ever done.the new beginning,the speech was called ,and i hope and pray our allies and people around the world can move forward and not back.

Terry, TX   June 4th, 2009 9:23 pm ET

I would like to see this Muslim World...talk of their wrongs....instead of the same old propaganda. Explain this.....Muslim Islamic Terrorist cut American throats on the internet…beheadings… strapping bombs on children to blow them up in mosques, hotels, trains, buses, restaurants, the rocket fire in Israel, elected officials…let’s not forget our 3,000 that were murdered...not to mention the atrocities against women....let's not forget invading Kuwait....invading Pakistan for nuclear weapons. This is not a republican issue....this is an American issue. Get over it.

Ram Riva -- Calexico CA   June 4th, 2009 9:31 pm ET

Is very sad to hear that the extreme right in the USA all they can see is nothing!!, they couldn't be more blinded by their enormous ego and ignorance...like "Terry" from Texas
President Obama is the leader of the World wheter the USA likes it or not, he brings a fresh and young start with the right attitude to all the problems that are affecting the world, is the leader the planet needs in these difficult times
His intelligence is what his enemies fear the most, even Al Qaeda, with idiotic rethoric about the US President telling lies and wanting to control everyone's mind, we don't see much difference between radical extemists points of view as those of the GOP extreme right, the common bond between them, is the word extremist and the hope that Barack Obama fails, to make their point and save their deteriorated image
The USA should be very proud of the leadership President Barack Hussein Obama is showing to the entire world, his vision and approach to all the major problems that affect us all, couldn't be more accurate...Well done Mr President

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