U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is heading back to the United States, after a whirlwind foreign tour that began in the Middle East and ended in Europe.
Hours before leaving London for the midwestern U.S. state of Illinois, Obama acknowledged that despite the huge crowds and media attention overseas, his foreign campaign swing might hurt him back home. He said U.S. voters are worried about high gas prices and the loss of their homes to foreclosure.
Still, Obama said his trip was important because many of the issues the United States faces will not be resolved without strong partners abroad.
On the final day of his tour Saturday, Obama met several British politicians, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The two leaders discussed climate change, terrorism and the global economy.
In a U.S. radio address, Obama's Republican challenger, John McCain, continued to criticize his rival's political judgment.
Obama's London stop was more low-key than earlier legs of his trip like Berlin, where he drew 200-thousand people to hear him speak. Over the course of his trip, Obama visited Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan and Kuwait, as well as France, Germany and Britain.