The Obama show lands in Israel

He got a rock-star reception here, but an intriguing question lingers: Which U.S. presidential candidate is better for this country? By Aluf Benn Reuters/Jae C. Hong Barack Obama (center) greets residents during his July 23 visit to Sderot, Israel. July 24, 2008 | TEL AVIV, Israel -- The 2008 U.S. presidential race has been marked by several historical firsts, one of which is the globalization of the campaigning. Visits to Israel and the Palestinian Authority have become part of the trail to the White House this time around; never before have the nominees from both parties visited during an election year. But this is not a typical campaign -- it's a struggle between two visions of America and its place in the world. John McCain visited back in March but did not make much of a splash. Barack Obama by contrast, touring Israel... [read full story]