RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Even as President Barack Obama flew toward Saudi Arabia early Wednesday, long after most of his advisers had fallen asleep, he sat working through page after page of the speech he will deliver today.
As the son and grandson of Muslims, Obama has had years to reflect on America’s troubled ties with the Islamic world. But the path to the Cairo address, as described by some advisers, also offers a case study in the president’s approach to a delicate issue.
Before his trip, he and his aides talked to American chief executives of major companies who are Muslims. And he sought out not only Muslims, but also Jews and people of other faiths and experts across academia.
In recent weeks, as advisers presented him with drafts of the speech, Obama would end sessions with a question. “Are you making sure that we are hearing a Muslim voice?” he would say, according to participants.
