Across the pond

Al Gore’s emphatic endorsement of Barack Obama is the clearest sign yet that the leading Democrats of the Clinton era are lining up behind him. Since his defeat by a few votes in Florida seven years ago, the former vice president has taken the lead by focussing attention at home and abroad on the need for the US to do far more than it has done for climate change. His experience in this area will help Obama, particularly when he begins to launch himself on the world stage, with a visit soon to Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe.

Most of the media commentators say that Obama is weak on foreign policy and has little hands on experience of the rest of the world. But thanks to the images which have been flashing on to the world’s television screens he already has a following in places he has never been. Last week one of my ex-colleagues emailed me with the news that Bareelona, which he has just visited, is engulfed in Obamamania.

He may find his visit to Europe a doddle compared with Iraq and Afghanistan. The troops are more likely to be be keen on John McCain, and Obama will have to walk a tight rope between demonstrating that he is tough enough to run a war. And showing that he is capable of bringing a fresh initiavies seeking to find polical solutions to the chaos and complex enemnities in both reasons.