MUNCIE — When President-elect Barack Obama departed the White House last Monday, he made three phone calls on his way to the airport. One was to Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the man Obama mentioned in his final debate with Sen. John McCain as a mentor on foreign policy.
On Saturday, however, Lugar reiterated that he wouldn’t be a part of Obama’s administration. He said he would be more effective serving on his Senate committees, such as Foreign Relations and Agriculture.
Lugar visited the Second Harvest Food Bank here Saturday to talk about his agriculture and food issues and to take a tour of the new facility on the city’s north side. He also talked about the problems Obama faced.
As a young senator in 1995, Obama asked Lugar if he could accompany him on a trip to Russia. They spent 11 days in Moscow and the Ukraine.
“It was a good learning experience for both of us,” Lugar said.
On Saturday, a reporter asked if Obama would be a detriment to U.S. foreign policy because of his lack of experience. Lugar responded that the new president would elicit new enthusiasm around the world.
“His experience has been limited,” Lugar admitted. “But he’s an able and intelligent man.”
The senator noted that, prior to the election, “most people didn’t like us” around the world.
“With Obama’s election, there’s been a 25 percent change toward the favorable side.”
Lugar said he was in Germany two weeks after Obama spoke in Berlin last summer. In the presidential campaign, Obama was criticized as being elitist for going to Germany, but the candidate drew a sizable crowd of 250,000 near the Brandenburg Gate, Lugar said.
“There is a large outpouring of good will,” Lugar said.
Despite being called the “bipartisan buddy” in Obama’s inner circle by USA Today, Lugar said his relationships with world leaders would be helpful to Obama.
“He faces an awesome inventory of unfinished business,” Lugar said of the new president. He then went though a litany of hurdles:
— Iraq: Trying to develop a pact between the U.S. and Iraq might require a United Nations resolution.
— Afghanistan: The war is not going well, but Gen. David Petraeus is studying it. Some Taliban are better than other Taliban, and how does the Taliban relate to al Qaida?
— Pakistan: Going after al Qaida runs against the sovereignty of the nation, a nation with nuclear capability.
— Israelis and Palestinians: Negotiations are coming to a conclusion for the Bush administration. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice says a peace agreement is necessary but won’t happen before Jan. 20.
— Iran: Can we use vigorous diplomacy to turn the Iranian situation around? What if Israeli bombers go after Iran?
— North Korea: The situation is ongoing.
How do we handle the evolving nations in Africa and South America? Lugar asked.
“South America is changing rapidly,” he said.
Lugar said he expected to meet with Bolivian President Evo Morales ("a populist, leftist”) next week.
“I see lots of unusual people and try to retain a relationship with other countries,” Lugar said.
The senator pointed out that the U.S. imports 70 percent of the oil it uses, “and we use a lot of oil. We use more every year.”
He said 90 percent of oil was controlled by governments.
“People with the oil are not very friendly. Dealing with (Venezuelan President Hugo) Chavez and (Russian Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin is not a pleasant experience.”
Reporters picked up on Obama’s call to Lugar, which set off speculation about his relationship to the incoming administration. For now, however, Lugar will help Obama in “my mentoring role,” as he said Obama characterizes him.
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