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You're right, it's pretty similar, I didn't hear about it until now http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/01/18/the-obama-administration...

Obama's public persona makes the difference in my eyes, he was a more respectful person all along, making weird decisions less problematic in a way. You might say it's irrelevant though.

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It's not just irrelevant, it's detrimental. The US should conduct itself from a position of power, not preemptively apologize for hurting other governments' feelings like Obama did. You do not bow to any king. You insist on exiting your plane to whatever exit you want, not through the fucking back door like Obama had to do in China. You demand respect. You demand red carpet and honor guard. You make sure to communicate unambiguously that you will not be manipulated by what's "politically correct", and you can only be swayed by the cold, hard facts of the situation, and your country's interest. You make others pay their fair share. You undo obviously bad trade deals. You negotiate good (or at least better) deals. Basically all of these things is what Obama failed to deliver.

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