Now that the big Asia trip is history, it’s natural to judge it on the basis of known results from its biggest portion — Obama’s three days in China.  For the American president, there were no obvious breakthroughs on exchange rates or trade, climate or human rights, so maybe this visit was not the most successful.  On the other hand, viewed in the context of America’s recent history with East Asia, there was a certain welcome absence of drama.  Expectations were managed, there was no brinkmanship.  Maybe that could be considered an achievement.

What is disturbing, though, on the face of it, was the lack of open transmission of the President’s own message to the Chinese people while he was in their country.  You can say that the Chinese leaders are determined to control their media environment, but to essentially shut down broadcasts of a U.S. President’s communication with students shows a real gap in understanding.  Even Gorbachev understood that an advanced society could not control communication if it wanted to make the most of its potential.  During the U.S. President’s visit at least, China stood to gain internationally by showing openness rather than its opposite.  What they did instead was unnecessary.

By the same token, Obama’s exaggerated bow to Japanese Emperor Akihito in Tokyo was also a misstep.

A Bow Too Low

In our digital age, images stay around, and this one will.  If Americans were feeling self-confident about their role in the world at this point in time, the bow would have been seen as an act of protocol, courtesy and even magnanimity.  In our current times of American insecurity, it will seen back home as weak.  Moreover, even Japanese found it inappropriate.

On the Road Again

An overseas trip by a U.S. president is always costly, logistically challenging, and full of colorful backdrops.  President Obama’s trip to Japan, Singapore, China and Korea is no exception.  If anything, there will be more excitement than usual, since it is his first trip to the region as President and there is still tremendous foreign public interest in this appealing, young, intelligent leader, his inspiring speeches, and his photogenic wife.

Why, then, is the mood so downbeat among the U.S. press corps — the “traveling press” — as they begin covering this trip?

The discouraging U.S. jobs reports with alarming unemployment rates provide part of the answer.  Another reason:  Obama’s narrow win in the House vote on health care last Saturday revealed his Democratic Party to be quite divided.  A respected poll showed the American public, never very warm toward Congress as an institution, now tending to favor Republicans over Democrats there.  Finally, the national tragedy of Ft. Hood, followed by an especially somber Veterans’ Day holiday, drove home the pressures on the U.S. military as it tries to cope with insurgent warfare in extremely complicated circumstances.

When the President returns home, there will be an announcement to make on Afghanistan strategy, while health care reform and regulation for Wall Street are debated.  More heavy lifting for a President reported to be losing weight.

Maybe, after all, this is a good time for the President to experience a change of scene — even if it will seem in Beijing like he’s on a visit to America’s banker.

Obama in the Classroom

Hopefully, the East Asian public will be drawn into the novelty of the visit and the “traveling press” of the American media will report on the public esteem that Obama enjoys abroad.

One thing you can bank on:  the White House will not be looking for photo ops in opulent surroundings.  American public diplomacy and White House politics are both best served by images of a hard-working and popular President seen focusing on the tough issues.  That part should not be difficult.