One of the reasons you should read foreign news sources is to track what American politicians say and do when they feel somewhat shielded from the intense scrutiny of their own domestic media. Like tourists who get drunk and wake up on a beach, politicians often make “naked” statements.
Consider President Obama’s recent candor about America’s recession (IMO, depression) during his nine-day trip to Asia. While in Beijing he warned that spending too much tax money to stimulate the economy “could actually lead to a double- dip recession.” And, to underscore how differently Obama behaves abroad, it is interesting to note that the remark was made during an interview with Fox News Beijing. Yep. That’s the same Fox that is almost completely shut out by the administration in the United States.
