Obama 'Shrewd' in Cairo Speech

Most of America wasn’t even awake when it happened, but Barack Obama’s Cairo speech got people talking anyway, the Washington Post reports. The New York Times says Obama delivered a "sweeping and forceful—at times scolding and combative" message, which included what the Wall Street Journal called a “shrewd” statement about women's rights. But overall, it was part of Obama’s détente with the Muslim world, and earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

In his call for greater understanding, Obama made his most detailed reference yet to his Muslim roots, notes Mike Allen of Politico, while Haaretz saw a “blunt repudiation” of Israel’s West Bank policy. Obama also spoke less-than-glowingly about the Iraq war, and "studiously" avoided the word "terrorism," much to the frustration of Michael Rubin of the National Review. (More Barack Obama stories.)