This morning, President Barack Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly with a decidedly blunt tone. He spoke directly and briefly about climate change, racism, Old World disputes, the Middle East and war.

From Bloomberg: Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama, in his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, sought to set a new tone for U.S. relations with other countries and called for a new era of cooperation.

I am well aware of the expectations that accompany my presidency around the world, Obama said. These expectations are not about me, rather they are rooted I believe in the discontent of the status quo.

He said while the U.S. is taking a new direction, other countries must give up their almost reflexive anti- Americanism that has served as an excuse for inaction on issues from terrorism to fighting poverty.

Obamas speech to the General Assembly today comes amid a series of meetings with world leaders, including Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday, and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today.