Common for presidential candidates to visit other nations?

[CathyA]

I can't remember if this has been common in the past, but it seems strange to me. Why let a presidential candidate travel to different countries and act like he represents the nation, when he hasn't been elected yet? Its one thing to lie to his own country and/or make promises he can't keep (still not acceptable), but doing it to other nations seems like it could get us all into even more trouble than we're in.
Romney isn't even part of the government yet, so to speak..........so why is he visiting these other nations and saying things that might be inappropriate?

[peggy]

Actually i think it is common. Kind of like their 'test' if you will, on how much of a diplomat/statesman/President they would be. How do you think he's doing?

[Alan]

It seems pretty common to me. Remember how infatuated Europe was with Senator Obama when he took his show on the road in 2008?

From Wikipedia: In July 2008 Obama traveled to Kuwait (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Kuwait), Afghanistan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Afghanistan),[16] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-15) Iraq (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Iraq),[17] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-16) Jordan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Jordan),[18] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-17) the West Bank,[19] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-18) Israel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Israel), Germany (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Germany), France (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/France), and the United Kingdom (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/United_Kingdom). During the course of this trip he met with assorted international leaders, including President Hamid Karzai (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Hamid_Karzai) of Afghanistan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Afghanistan),[20] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-19) Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Nouri_al-Maliki) of Iraq, King Abdullah II of Jordan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Abdullah_II_of_Jordan), Palestinian (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Palestine) President Mahmoud Abbas (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas), Prime Minister of Israel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Israel) Ehud Olmert (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Ehud_Olmert), Chancellor Angela Merkel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Angela_Merkel) of Germany, President Nicolas Sarkozy (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Nicolas_Sarkozy) of France,[21] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-20) and Prime Minister Gordon Brown (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Gordon_Brown) of the United Kingdom, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Tony_Blair) and Conservative (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)) opposition leader David Cameron (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/David_Cameron).[22] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-21)
On July 24, 2008 he gave a speech at the Victory Column (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Berlin_Victory_Column) in Berlin (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Berlin) before a crowd of estimated 200,000 to 240,000 people.[23] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-22)

[CathyA]

Well, Romney seems to be maybe stepping on some toes, but who knows. Seems like the media picks tiny things and makes them huge......
I just think its a bit premature to make promises to other countries when you're not even elected yet. I think once you're president, you are forced to see a broader picture and the inter-connectedness of so many complex issues, and can't always carry out your good intentions.
How would we in the U.S. feel if everyone who was running for office in other countries came here and gave speeches? Just wondering. Seems curious to me.
What are their intentions for doing this? I suppose it works great, if the people who are going to vote for them think they did an excellent job of handling that.
Maybe like you said Peggy, its a trial run, and its more for the U.S. voters than to accomplish anything else by doing it.
I think Mitt's looking a little mousey.............even when he says firm things. We'll see.

[Alan]

......I think Mitt's looking a little mousey.............even when he says firm things. We'll see.
Well, there are a lot of vested interests out there trying to promote that image. Maybe you've seen Newsweek's latest cover which declares Romney a 'Wimp'. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/30/newsweek-mitt-romney-wimp-cover_n_1719596.html?ir=Media

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/707684/thumbs/o-NEWSWEEK-570.jpg?4

Personally, I believe this sort of "journalism", designed to give a dying magazine a dose of undeserved promotion is reprehensible. But, maybe it works.

[goldensmom]

It's common. From the first time I started paying attention to and voting in presidential elections in the 70's I remember candidates visiting other countries.

[iris lily]

It seems pretty common to me. Remember how infatuated Europe was with Senator Obama when he took his show on the road in 2008?

From Wikipedia: In July 2008 Obama traveled to Kuwait (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Kuwait), Afghanistan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Afghanistan),[16] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-15) Iraq (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Iraq),[17] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-16) Jordan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Jordan),[18] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-17) the West Bank,[19] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-18) Israel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Israel), Germany (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Germany), France (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/France), and the United Kingdom (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/United_Kingdom). During the course of this trip he met with assorted international leaders, including President Hamid Karzai (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Hamid_Karzai) of Afghanistan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Afghanistan),[20] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-19) Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Nouri_al-Maliki) of Iraq, King Abdullah II of Jordan (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Abdullah_II_of_Jordan), Palestinian (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Palestine) President Mahmoud Abbas (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas), Prime Minister of Israel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Israel) Ehud Olmert (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Ehud_Olmert), Chancellor Angela Merkel (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Angela_Merkel) of Germany, President Nicolas Sarkozy (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Nicolas_Sarkozy) of France,[21] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-20) and Prime Minister Gordon Brown (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Gordon_Brown) of the United Kingdom, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Tony_Blair) and Conservative (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)) opposition leader David Cameron (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/David_Cameron).[22] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-21)
On July 24, 2008 he gave a speech at the Victory Column (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Berlin_Victory_Column) in Berlin (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/wiki/Berlin) before a crowd of estimated 200,000 to 240,000 people.[23] (http://www.simplelivingforum.net/#cite_note-22)

And then they awarded him the Peace prize and he hadn't even been in office for a year. That was unbelievable. But at least he had the grace to be humble about his complete lack of achievement.

[Alan]

And then they awarded him the Peace prize and he hadn't even been in office for a year. That was unbelievable. But at least he had the grace to be humble about his complete lack of achievement.
Oh I don't think it was unbelievable for him to receive the award without any notable accomplishments, after all, he did win the White House with the same credentials.

[bae]

Oh I don't think it was unbelievable for him to receive the award without any notable accomplishments, after all, he did win the White House with the same credentials.

At least he ended all of those nasty wars the US was involved in, and helped stabilize the Middle East.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well with precedents like Henry Kissinger what can you expect of them.

[Alan]

Well with precedents like Henry Kissinger what can you expect of them.
I wonder what effect Kissinger had on the Paris Peace Accords? Do you think he may have delayed actual peace for the five years or so he was negotiating an end to the Vietnam War? Should he have been left out of the award, leaving Le Duc Tho as the only beneficiary?

Also, since they were awarded the Peace Prize after the end of the war, do you think the 2009 award would have been better saved for someone who had actually accomplished something worthy of the prize?

Not nitpicking, just curious.

[Gregg]

Well, Mr. Kissinger did manage de'tente with the Soviet Union. And he managed to get a few little agreements, like the SALT and the Anti-Ballistic Missle treaties put in place. And he played a major role in the formalizing of relations with China. Other than little things like that his diplomatic record and Mr. Obama's are nearly identical, Tom Donilon seems to be the odd man out.