After Half-Steps, Major Rescue Took a Nudge From Washington.

PARIS -- President Obama had just flown into Hampton, Va., Sunday morning to deliver a commencement address. But before he donned his silky academic robes, he was on the phone with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, offering urgent advice -- and some not so subtle prodding -- that Europe needed to try something big. Weeks of hesitant half-steps to address Greece's debt problems had only worsened market worries about the euro, and were threatening the still-fragile economic recoveries in the United States and Asia. Now, Mr. Obama told Mrs. Merkel that the Europeans needed an overwhelming financial rescue to end speculation that the euro -- and European unity -- could crumble. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]