By Andrew Bolt
Barack Obama has now scrapped his trip to Australia completely, after already slashing it to one day of ceremonial chit chat.
A bit embarrassing for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who would have loved a visit in this election year, but – like him – Obama is battling to get through his health reforms, and needs to stay to twist arms.
UPDATE 1
Mr Obama will now make the trip in June.
“The president greatly regrets the delay,” Mr Gibbs said. “Our international alliances are critical to America’s security and economic progress, but passage of health-insurance reform is of paramount importance, and the president is determined to see this battle through.”
UPDATE 2
According to some media reports, Mr Obama has told wavering Democrats that his Presidency is on the lines over the healthcare debate.
UPDATE 3
Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, makes the announcement of just where Rudd stands:
As a result, the President telephoned the leader of Indonesia and will call the leader of Australia later this afternoon, and told them that he must postpone his planned visits for a later date so that he can remain in Washington for this critical vote. The President now expects to visit Indonesia in June.
So Obama warned the Indonesian president beforehand, but left it to the media to first tell Rudd. And the public commitment to come in June is made to Indonesia, not necessarily to Australia.
UPDATE 4
Has Australia just joined the list of American allies Obama takes for granted?
As Abe Greenwald describes the phenomenon:
If you’re an enemy we’re sorry; if you’re a friend you’re sorry.
Or as Paul Mirengoff explains it:
Perhaps there is a side of him that harbors contempt for nations that find large amounts of common ground with the U.S., a country for which Obama himself feels the need constantly to apologize. Or perhaps, Obama sees himself as a philosopher king, a “neutral” who stands above the usual politics of favoring particular nations. From this lofty, ahistorical perch, it may be possible to view Britain as “the same as the other 190 countries in the world.”
TonyfromOz adds …..
UPDATE 3 says a lot. The President personally telephoned the Indonesian President prior to the announcement, but then made the announcement before informing the Australian Prime Minister, thus allowing Australia to find out via a curt media release. Nice!
Andrew Bolt is a journalist and columnist writing for The Herald Sun in Melbourne Victoria Australia.
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Filed under: America (USA), Asia, Australia, Barry Soetoro (aka Barack Hussein Obama), Blundering Bureaucrats, Democrats, Liberals, Politics, Public Opinion, Spine Donor Politicians Tagged: Andrew Bolt, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Indonesia, Obama Sorry Tour, Obama World Tour, President Obama, Tony 
