David Corn

What a deft way of dissing George W Bush while praising Turkey.

But the speech had another interesting turn. In declaring his support for admitting Turkey into the European Union, Obama addressed the issue of Turkey's human rights problems, noting that the country has made some progress. But he urged Turkey to do better, offering a close-to-home example as potential motivation:

Freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the state, which is why steps like reopening Halki Seminary will send such an important signal inside Turkey and beyond. An enduring commitment to the rule of law is the only way to achieve the security that comes from justice for all people. Robust minority rights let societies benefit from the full measure of contributions from all citizens.

I say this as the President of a country that not very long ago made it hard for somebody who looks like me to vote, much less be President of the United States. But it is precisely that capacity to change that enriches our countries. Every challenge that we face is more easily met if we tend to our own democratic foundation. This work is never over. That's why, in the United States, we recently ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. That's why we prohibited -- without exception or equivocation -- the use of torture. All of us have to change. And sometimes change is hard.

In other words, look at me--and what that means.

Continuing in this vein, he also urged Turkey to come to terms with the Armenian genocide and to normalize relations with Armenia. "Each country must work through its past." he said. And he indirectly pointed to himself:

The United States is still working through some of our own darker periods in our history. Facing the Washington Monument that I spoke of is a memorial of Abraham Lincoln, the man who freed those who were enslaved even after Washington led our Revolution. Our country still struggles with the legacies of slavery and segregation, the past treatment of Native Americans.

Then when Obama called for good relations between the West and the Muslim world, he did the same thing:

I also want to be clear that America's relationship with the Muslim community, the Muslim world, cannot, and will not, just be based upon opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstandings, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country. The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them.

The Turkish legislators applauded.

Obama is engaging in a unique form of diplomacy, utilizing the powerful example of his own past and ancestry to win friends and influence people. The message: I (and my country) overcame, you can, too. He's saying, I--that is, we--understand how hard change can be but also realize how change is possible and achievable. So I (we?) can reasonably (and respectfully) nurture high expectations about you. Will it work? There are tough issues to resolve all over the globe. But certainly this approach will generate more good will than Bush's you're-with-us-against-us stance. And it never hurts to have more good will than less.

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