Depends on if he calls for all nukes to be destroyed or not....

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id= D91V3A3O0&show_article=1

I suppose not, but it should've been, since that was when McCain displayed such a shameful lack of understanding of the central Middle Eastern conflict by suggesting that Iran supported Al-Qaida.

Anyway, I see this trip by Obama as merely a necessary hurdle to jump in order to take talking points away from McCain.  Ultimately there's practically no information over there that we couldn't get here; he just looks presidential and gets some good bipartisan shots of him with Hagel by doing this.

I think it CAN be a huge positive especially since the media coverage will be incredible, especially with the anchors going.

But any gaffe will get lots of attention.

McWars?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lur0vJNOI tc

Here's McCain, trying to have it both ways -- and demonstrating rather strange logic --  in talking about Obama's views on foreign policy:

Describing Obama's plan as dangerously rigid and ideological, McCain national security adviser Randy Scheunemann compared the Illinois Democrat to the current Oval Office occupant.

The suggestion that Obama is too stubborn to change his position on Iraq is a bit ironic coming from a McCain campaign that, as recently as one week ago, jumped all over the Senator for saying he would "refine" his position.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/16 /mccain-aide-obama-is-stub_n_113098.html

why Obama must be elected.

Wait until you see the crowds at every country.

It will be sureal.

See the MSM knows conservatism SELLS, they will be hard pressed to admit why some countries polling such as France and Germany have Obama at least 75% approval rating.
The easiest answer I can give, and Im sure a repub would give is that Europe when compared to America is 95% liberal.

They see the GOP as the Antithesis of everything they believe in, and Democrats as the only hope.

Every step Europe tried to take on War/Peace, the environment, women's rights etc Bush tried to crush.

Damn I feel dumb not knowing the answer to this,

but can citizens of other countries donate to Obama, the DNC, or a PAC?

If so then I would love to know how much money is coming from overseas and if this trip is a boost to those donations.

We keep hearing about the possible speech in Berlin.

Has anyone heard if a speech is planned for each country.

God I REALLY hope he does one in Israel, either to both factions or a mixed crowd.
As awesome as that sounds I doubt it over security issues and political (I doubt Likud wants someone who is talking against governments that make their people less safe, my fav Obama talking point).

I think the bigger picture is alot of people, especially Israelis might really see Obama as a beacon of hope for their country.
ESPECIALLY Israel, think about it, how has Bush's tenure effected Israel, how do you think they perceive it.

Barack Obama is the new guy.  One of the biggest doubts many voters have of Barack Obama is his foreign policy experience.  A gaffe could be fatal, but a gaffe-free foreign trip could make for a comfortable win this fall.

This will be the biggest campaign moment since Clinton's concession speech.

The campaign has been in a lull over the last month or so. The polls have hardly budged and people have turned attention elsewhere.

But the trip overseas will get HUGE media play.

Obama has two jobs overseas: 1) Show in his visits to Afghanistan and Iraq that he gets where the real priority should be - Afghanistan. Show that commanders on the ground agree and make a statement to the effect that Iraqis are ready to take over their own affairs and Afghanistan needs US troops from Iraq. 2) Tell large crowds in Europe that he is an American first; but that his vision of America is based on the highest ideals of the country.

Risks:

1. Any major gaffe will get wide coverage.
   
2. Bad theater (wearing a helmet, etc.) will get mocked.
   
3. Any suggestion that he is putting down America - or even the President - in a foreign land will get major negative attention in the US.

I think Obama is well aware of the possibilities and risks of the trip. Ironically enough, the thorniest part - Iraq and Afghanistan - may be the easiest to manage. The adoring crowds should not tempt Obama to cross into "partisan politics beyond the water's edge." I'm sure Obama is aware of that and will keep his speeches as America-centric as possible.

If Obama pulls everything off well he will finally get his big poll bump - and might stay up there.  It's hard to conclude that Obama is unprepared on matters of foreign policy if every foreign leader thinks highly of him, and crowds overseas run to him.

It depends on what Obama says to foreign leaders.  If his flip on FISA is any example of his new track then it will be a disaster.  Obama needs to present a US with a new attitude in world affairs meaning we are not a Rambo nation.  What will be really nice is that Obama can speak English the rest of the world understands.  He must be really careful when speaking about the Middle East especially Palestinian issues.  His inference that Jerusalum should be the capitol of Israel and should not be divided was the wrong path to go down.  If that is to be the new US policy I see nothing but trouble in the Middle East for Obama's term as President.

One question is. Would the GOP attack Obama while he is on this trip? Or would they refrain as it would considered in bad taste.

He has to go on this trip, the GOP will just keep calling him naive and a p$##y everyday.  They are going to do that anyway, but a trip like this can mute a lot of that in voter's minds.  

I agree on the gaffe idea, if he screws up it will be huge.  

My only minor concern is that he has a good bull pen of surrogates ready to fight McCain here at home so he can stay above the fray while over seas.  Would be a great time to try out VP short listers and see how they do under pressure.