Compare and contrast (UPDATED) (TWICE)

Compare this:

Barack Obama’s advisers insist his coming trip abroad is not a campaign swing. Even so, the high-profile journey has all the trappings of a rock-star tour.

The Illinois senator’s trip to Europe and the Middle East has generated so much interest that all three TV network news anchors are planning to accompany the candidate.

Foreign media have reported daily on the impending visit. And the campaign revealed Friday that Obama intends to meet with top U.S. allies.

Obama is surely looking to burnish his foreign policy credentials overseas — but on the back end of it, his superstar persona might get the biggest boost.

“What you’re about to see is enormous publicity,” Democratic strategist Susan Estrich said. “He’s got three anchors coming with him. He’s got the glitterati of the press corps.”

With this:

"Good Morning America" on Wednesday attempted to guilt trip John McCain for taking a foreign trip while "Americans wrestle with a tough economy." Five times over the course of two segments, various GMA hosts, reporters and analysts insinuated that McCain's trip to Colombia and Mexico might result in voters thinking he doesn't care about the economic situation of Americans. Correspondent Bianna Golodryga pointedly wondered, "But at a time when polls show Obama ahead of McCain by 16 points on the economy, should McCain be staying closer to home?" GMA co-host Robin Roberts, in an interview with Senator McCain, questioned, "So, why is Senator McCain abroad when Americans are focused on the economy here at home and losing jobs, more and more jobs, as Bianna just reported?"

It must mean that the economy is turning around... in a matter of what... oh... less than 20 days.

Itsamiracul.

Or it's out the wazoo media bias.

You be the judge.

UPDATE: Michelle has turned us on to what ought to become a T-shirt best-seller:

UPDATE #2: I may've been a tad premature on reporting that the economy has turned a corner.  GatewayPundit has the full story... and I do mean... full.

Comments

[Locutisprime]

So let's review.....Obama is on world tour....with the major three network anchor personalities, playing B ball in Kuwait and glad handing every photo op that he can with a uniform. While madly attempting to build credibility and the appearance of knowledge and experience in the middle east.

Meanwhile, McCain (having been to the middle east, Iraq and Afghanistan numerous times) is being hammered by the media's second string back home, for abandoning the country and the dire economy, to visit Mexico.

From a different perspective? I think I agree with the second string. While Obama is off trying to develop street creds in the sand pile? John McCain should be on the road all across America, building his own bridges with Americans.

So unless his Mexico trip involves the unconditional surrender of Mexico to America, in the war on illegal Mexican infiltration of America and the border war of Mexican drug gangs?

I'd say that McCain is missing another opportunity to get a grip on the concerns of most Americans and he is missing another opportunity to take advantage of the naivete of his opponent and his chaperones.

Tell me where I am wrong.

[Mommynator]

I don't know what's wright and wrong for McCain to be doing in this instance. He probably should be stumping more in this country, but if he has good enough relations with Mexico, maybe as president he could convince them they should do more to be a better country for their own people.

But (a) it was rather cowardly for Obama to go over by his lonesome when McCain invited him.

(b) my husband thinks Obama is going to made some huge gaffe because he can't talk straight unscripted. In fact, he's hoping for it. Mean old man (not).