Fausta has been liveblogging the press conference with President Obama and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, best known to everyone but our own State Department as Lula. It makes for interesting reading, but here’s her takeaway line:
Obama’s talking progressive policies, Lula is talking about free trade and business.
You can see that in the answers they give.
President Obama has a great chance here. Brazil is exactly the sort of new ally we need to draw very close to is. It is an a rapidly-growing economy with a growing population and abundant resources it is willing to export. It is a young democracy with a leader interested in strengthening that. And they want to be our friends. Brazil wants to help us beat back the petty tyrant in Venezuela. it wants to sell us oil and ethanol and all sorts of other things. It wants to buy all the goods we can sell them. It wants to be our go-to country in South America.
Why would we not make President Lula feel wanted?
Tags: Brazil, Diplomacy, Ethanol, Foreign Oil, Free Trade, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President Barack Obama
Thanks Jimmie – you always get me to thinking and press me to learn more about issues I need to know and care more about! I’m off to research more about Lula.