Obama presses Asia to open its markets

No, really. He's serious. The guy who unfairly and inaccurately beat up on Japan and South Korea because American cars (are perceived to) suck, and who won't push for ratification of the KORUS FTA until South Korean negotiators agree to a clause that forces every family and their dog to own at least one Ford and one Chrysler... wants Asia to open up:

On the eve of his first Pacific trip since entering the White House, President Obama signaled Thursday that he would press Asian leaders to open up their markets and boost purchases of U.S. goods instead of relentlessly focusing on exporting more and more to American consumers.

In remarks made before leaving Washington on the seven-day, four-nation trip, the president suggested that Asia must do more to "rebalance" the global economy by accepting more U.S. imports, increasing its own domestic consumption and relying less on Americans as buyers of last resort.

Well, I guess that is consistent.