Until now, he has said little about the global economy, much less offered any strategy on globalization other than rhetorical support for free trade.
Some argue that the Bush administration could have a significant impact simply by backing away from rhetorical support for a strong dollar.
The "responsibility to protect" had to be given tangible meaning, not just rhetorical support.
Even rhetorical support for those seeking freedom, the bare minimum a president can do, is strikingly absent except under duress.
Obama chose to keep his distance, providing only mild rhetorical support.
China has given strong rhetorical support to the American campaign against terrorism and has shared intelligence with Washington.
China supplied revolutionary groups with rhetorical and, in some cases, material support.
Washington has always offered rhetorical support to Mexican democracy, but its private messages have been ambiguous.
"I'm happy to have even rhetorical support for our mutual obligation to care for children."
I asked him whether the Commission would complement this rhetorical support with any kind of support that did not just consist of words.