Other than the criticisms being leveled on conservative talk radio and among a few folks here, from all that I'm reading the President's visit and speeches in the middle East are roaring successes among Muslims. What's unknown at the moment, and probably will remain so for awhile, is how much help and money will derive from the requests the President made of King Abdullah and President Mubarak.

Maybe even more important will be how Israel responds to the demands made when Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel visited Washington a couple weeks ago. He was non-committal on the issue of closing down the settlements in the West Bank when meeting with Obama, but loudly de-bunked that idea as well as the idea of a "two party solution" among his supporters once he got back to Israel. Looks like we'll have to lean on Israel to get some progress there. I have no doubt that we have an administration that will be willing to 'lean' as much as is necessary without pandering to domestic moneyed political interests.

Otherwise, most of the pundits are saying that we've set the stage for more progress in Middle East relations than has existed for a decade. I suppose if one wants to, words and phrases can be picked apart and criticized. That provides entertainment for some, I suppose. But maybe the overall question should be: does this trip by the new U.S. President seem to be a good first step in accomplishing our national objectives? Most expert observers are saying 'yes'.