When asked by MSNBC host Chris Matthews, on the July 23 "Hardball," to give his assessment of the media coverage given to Obama in Israel, Fletcher dropped the following nugget:
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me ask you Martin for a final question there, as Barack Obama leaves the Middle East. What's the general assessment of the people over there, in terms of news coverage? Has he shown himself to be a commander-in-chief, potentially?
MARTIN FLETCHER, NBC NEWS: I think so, very much so Chris. I mean he's been, he's been seen, he's been seen here really as much as, as, a rock star, as a leader. And people are surprised. By the way when he visited the president, Shimon Peres' office today, one of Peres' female assistants came out and said in Hebrew, "Hey what a hunk!"
MATTHEWS: Ha!
FLETCHER: That was the, that was the quote that went, that went rushing around the media here. I think, I think he seemed very much as, as, as, it's been a successful trip for him, not only with Israelis but also with the Palestinians who were, who were very happy that he went to see them in Ramallah, even if it was short visit to the president, which of course, McCain when he was here in March he didn't do. So I think Obama scored strongly, both with the Israelis and with the Palestinians on this trip.
