Source Note #3
Summary: President Obama’s first interview is with Arabic news channel Al-Arabiya.
Topic: Should the Obama administration fund Israel’s defense?
Category: Mainstream Journalistic
What is it? Transcript of an interview with President Obama and Hisham Melhem of Al-Arabiya.
Title: Obama Reaches Out to Muslims
Publication Information: Al Arabiya: Jan. 27, 2009
Author: None listed
Location: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/01/27/65096.html
Accessed: Jan. 29, 2009
Support:
George Mitchell, special US envoy to the Middle East
Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
President Obama’s inauguration address
President Obama cites Mitchell, Clinton, and King Abdullah and indicates he is confident they are working successfully towards peace in the Middle East. Additionally, the interviewer references the President’s inaugural address.
Source Analysis:
Al Arabiya is an Arabic and English language news channel and a direct rival to Al Jazeera. Al Arabiya has a truly global audience with a significant audience both in Saudi Arabia and the United States. Its website provides daily news in addition to entertainment, international, and variety pages.
Usefulness:
President Obama’s decision to give his first interview to an Arabic language channel was seen as an eagerness to engage directly with the Middle East and the Muslim world — a welcome change from the previous administration. In this interview, the President makes his intentions with the Middle East clear and declares his willingness to work closely and diplomatically with Muslim world leaders. He also expresses his confidence in Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and George Michael. While he does not detail a specific plan for peace in the Middle East, he indicates his foreign policy will be to listen rather than dictate.
Works cited:
Obama Reaches Out to Muslims
About: Al Arabiya
Obama Reaches Muslims, Arabs via Al Arabiya
2 Replies
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