Jews Keep Watch on Obama's Global Tour

Inherent risks in his world trip are intensified by the fact that he will visit the Middle East, a place where, for American politicians, every word counts and the smallest slip up will become a social blunder.

"On a trip like this, on a stage like this, there is no margin for error," Tad Devine, a Democratic analyst said. "Every bit of this trip needs to be choreographed. He needs to make sure every word is right, every setting is proper, and that he makes absolutely no mistakes."

While in Israel, Obama will meet with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the head of the opposition, the Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

"American Jews will be watching very carefully to see if he makes statements showing whether he understands the Arab war against Israel," said Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America and member of the Executive Committee of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

In a Washington Post/ ABC news poll, Obama has a long way to go before Americans believe he would make a good commander-in-chief. Results showed only 48 percent of registered voters trusted Obama's ability to lead the U.S, with an equal percentage saying he wouldn't. By comparison, 72 percent said John McCain would make a good commander-in-chief of the military.

The main purpose of the trip is to persuade the US public that he is ready to become the US commander in chief.

"The broad goals of the trip are to deepen, even further, important relationships and to exchange views with the leaders in several countries whose partnership with the United States is really critical to our national security," foreign policy adviser Susan Rice said on a conference call with reporters today.

"The trip will benefit his poor image of lack of knowledge or experience in foreign affairs by meeting with foreign leaders. But ultimately, all that matters are his policies in respect to foreign polices, his policies with Israeli allies and what positions he puts forth," Klein added.

Ira Foreman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council said Obama's trip abroad will not only be closely watched by American Jews, but by the entire electorate as "there is a great unhappiness of the direction of the country and how America is viewed abroad."