AFF's Doublethink

The Sunday Times ran a front-page story with the headline Obama Delivers A Call For Change To A Rapt Africa. The lengthy article describes how Obama “symbolize[s] a new political era.” But perhaps Africa wants continuity more than it does change? If you read all the way to the end of the NYT story, this is what you’ll learn:

[Mr. Obama's] approach follows that of Mr. Bush, who was widely credited with doing more for Africa than any previous president. Like Mr. Obama, Mr. Bush tried to frame policy by rewarding good governance and building institutions through programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an antipoverty effort that gave Ghana $547 million in 2006.

Even Mr. Obama, who typically talks about the problems his administration inherited, said he was “building on the strong efforts of President Bush” in Africa.

I think Bush also tried to do something about the AIDS crisis, but I guess I’ll have to wait for Obama’s next trip to Africa to read about it.