“Americans are open to the idea that negotiations are part of our future,” although, Zelizer added, “they are looking for what comes after the handshake.”
In other words, at some point, Obama’s fondness for engagement with foes and rivals and his willingness to dismiss arguments of the past will have to show results, or the Republican critique could start cutting into the president’s approval ratings and undermining his foreign policy approach.
Until then, Republicans face an uphill struggle at getting much traction with their critique, said Ari Fleischer, President George W. Bush’s former press secretary: “It’s as if cosmetics and pageantry are more important than the substance of foreign policy in the age of Obama.” Fleischer agreed that Obama is getting something of a pass from a domestic-focused American public.“But that only lasts so long,” he warned.
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