Qld: Barack Obama's achievement extraordinary: Rudd

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2008
Qld: Barack Obama's achievement extraordinary: Rudd

BRISBANE, Aug 29 AAP - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has praised the achievement of Barack
Obama who will today accept the Democratic US presidential nomination at a mass rally
in Denver, Colorado.

Mr Rudd said he had spoken with Senator Obama on the phone last week and described
the presidential hopeful, who is seeking to be the first black American in the White House,
as "a very warm person".

"I had a conversation with Senator Obama last week and we talked in part about where
he'd come from and where he's headed to," Mr Rudd told Fairfax Radio in Brisbane.

"It (receiving the nomination) is an extraordinary achievement for him as an individual
American politician."

He said they had discussed future plans for the Asia-Pacific region and climate change
during the conversation, only the second time the pair have spoken.

However, Mr Rudd said Australia would have a good relationship with the next US president,
whether it was Senator Obama or Republican nominee John McCain.

"Should he (Obama) win the presidential election I think Australia will have a very
good friend in the White House, and if Senator McCain wins ... he knows Australia well
as well and we would be well served with that outcome."

AAP ews/pjo/cjh/de

KEYWORD: US OBAMA RUDD

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