BERLIN, July 24 — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, addressing a huge crowd here Thursday, called on nations to “renew the goal of a world without nuclear weapons” and unite to defeat terrorism while tearing down the “new walls” that divide people nearly 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In a rousing speech that covered an array of international issues, the senator from Illinois evoked the Berlin airlift of 1948 and the Cold War struggle against communism to urge Europeans and Americans not to “turn inward” but to dedicate themselves to a new era of cooperation.
Greatest. Speech. Ever.
At least since the last speech he gave that was the greatest speech ever.
Or whatever.
Call me a donut, or better yet, buy me some donuts, but it sounds like a great speech.
That’s quite a focus group in attendance.
I’m visiting my parents this weekend, and my Mom tells me they recently got a letter from Dad’s cousin in Germany. Since I’m the only one in the family who has ever had actual formal German language classes (as opposed to the folks who picked up dribs and drabs listening to their immigrant parents), it usually falls to me to try to write the reply. I look forward to asking the relatives in Baden-Wuerttemberg what coverage they saw of the Obama speech and what they thought of it…
Obama (pictured below) answers a reporter who asks how many people shown in the first picture are actually eligible to vote in November.
Obama standing in front of thousands of cheering Germans? ZOMG! He’s the new Hitler!!!!
I think of this as a warm-up to the acceptance speech.
I haven’t seen the Berlin speech, but did Barry gave it in German?
It’s embarrassing when Americans go over to Europe and all we can say is sprechen ze deutch.
Jerry,
You made me want a donut too.
Your kung fu is weak, william. Ha! Ha, ha!
I haven’t seen the Berlin speech, but did Barry gave it in German?
Please to be asking these questions in proper English.
Farris – Oh, you’re right. Barack Obama shouldn’t talk to anybody who isn’t registered to vote in November. Because how can conservatives play the “Obama will say anything to get elected” card if he says things to people who can’t elect him? That’s just not fair.
“Obama (pictured below) answers a reporter who asks how many people shown in the first picture are actually eligible to vote in November.”
Seriously. Given the speed of transatlantic telegraph transmission and the unreliability of zepplins and the auto gyro, chances are no one in American will hear or see the speech until after the election anyway.
I think that conservatives are pissed off that Obama is speaking to large audiences in other nations because it makes him appear as though he is going to be the next president and that he represents the majority of Americans (which he is and which he does). Uh oh.
…because he is doing that instead of talking to his fellow citizens wounded in action. Naturally, that doesn’t bother the leftists. Being a world citizen is more important.
Shorter JWG: Obama is…just…a…bigfatpoopyhead. And I hate him! And he hates The troops! The Troops! Why can’t anyone else see that?? Liberal Media?? Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, that settles it then. When that many Germans agree on something, what could possibly go wrong?
Actually, a lot of people are noticing. Obama would rather go shopping than visit wounded soldiers.
Yeah all those soldiers cheering him in his stops in Iraq are all actually actors.
Man, OW’s wingnuts are whining a lot today. Well, there’s nothing for McCcain to do now but to go to Germany and give his rebuttal speech in the same spot. I’m sure that can be arranged.
Give the trolls a break. Their guy is having one of the worst months I think I’ve ever seen an active candidate have, short of some sex scandal or an indictment. He should stop complaing so much about the media coverage of Obama and spend more time getting his facts straight before he speaks, it’s really getting embarassing. The media is doing him a favor.
Obama is speaking to large audiences in other nations because it makes him appear as though he is going to be the next president and that he represents the majority of Americans (which he is and which he does). Uh oh.
Uh oh is right. Apparently the majority of Americans (almost two thirds in fact) do not feel that this World Tour made Obama appear any more presidential.
“While Barack Obama has touted his travel to Afghanistan and Iraq as a “fact-finding” trip, 63% of Americans do not believe it makes the Democratic candidate any more qualified to be president.
A new Rasmussen Reports national survey, taken Monday night, also finds that less than a third (32%) think Obama will learn from his trip to Iraq. Forty percent (40%) say his mind is already made up about policies to deal with the war there. The Democrat has been accused by liberals in his party of softening his long-standing opposition to the war in Iraq in an effort to appeal to more moderate voters.”
Also in that article:
“In a separate survey this week, 45% said Obama is too inexperienced to be president. This number has risen from 41% over the past week. But the same number — 45% — believe the Democratic candidate does have the necessary experience.”
So it appears that less than a majority of Americans feel Obama has the experience necessary to be president.
Latest on the Obama/Landstuhl story:
Approval was given and preparations were made. Why the last minute change of mind? And exactly how is it “inappropriate” (per Obama’s spokespeople) for a senator to visit wounded soldiers?
Had he visited the wounded troops at the hospital, I suspect there would be grumblings from certain corners about a cheesy photo-op and using wounded soldiers to build his military cred. I’m sure there’d have been a Clintonian ‘I feel your pain’ crack or two, if that one hasn’t gone the way of the dodo.
That, to me, is why it would have been inappropriate. Visiting wounded guys during a campaign, it’s impossible to get around the fact that you’re mid-campaign and it would sure look to everyone and their sister that you were using them to score cheap political points.
A damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation if I’ve ever seen one.
SaveFerris: “Obama (pictured below) answers a reporter who asks how many people shown in the first picture are actually eligible to vote in November.”
If you think that speech won’t bee seen by millions in the United States, I have a bridge to sell you.
“Well, that settles it then. When that many Germans agree on something, what could possibly go wrong?”
As a German I have to say, this is funny. It’s hard to bring up Hitler without sounding obvious and / uncreative.
Dave in SoCal: was given and preparations were made. Why the last minute change of mind? And exactly how is it “inappropriate” (per Obama’s spokespeople) for a senator to visit wounded soldiers?”
Perhaps some felt it would politicize the wounded soldiers, which would be bad.
Visiting wounded guys during a campaign, it’s impossible to get around the fact that you’re mid-campaign and it would sure look to everyone and their sister that you were using them to score cheap political points.
Perhaps some felt it would politicize the wounded soldiers, which would be bad.
But as the article I linked to noted, he wasn’t allowed to bring his campaign staff or the media to the hospital. It’s hard to accuse someone of trying to score cheap political points or use the troops for a photo-op if they just visit without making it a big media event, which Obama would have been unable to do even if he wanted to. Even if people disagree about ‘Presidential candidate’ Obama visiting the troops, there is no reason why ‘Senator’ Obama couldn’t have done a simple meet and greet with the wounded soldiers.
JWG,
You know that the Pentagon refused to allow Obama visit the wounded troops in Germany even though he did so in Afghanistan and Iraq with the flimsy excuse that it was a political visit. The Republicans couldn’t take any more of all the positive pictures coming back of US soldiers with Obama that respect him and want him to be their next president.
You know that the Pentagon refused to allow Obama visit the wounded troops in Germany even though he did so in Afghanistan and Iraq with the flimsy excuse that it was a political visit.
Actually, we don’t. Read the article I linked to above. Obama had been given the go ahead to visit. He just couldn’t do it with his campaign staff and a fawning media in tow. It was Obama’s campaign who canceled at the last minute.
Dave in SoCal,
Look at the question –
Does Obama’s trip to the Middle East make him anymore qualified to be President?
Yes 23%, No 63%, Not Sure 14%.
Only 23% of the people who answered that poll are almost complete idiots.
How can one seven day visit to any Damn where make anyone more qualified to be President of the US?
I’m getting my August online donation together to send Senator Barack Obama and I know I one of his biggest fan and I would answer no to that question.
It’s not the answers but the questions that are more telling.
Juhar, it’s a lot easier if you actually read the articles. The Obama visit to Rammstein and Landstuhl were all approved and set to go (as in the Pentagon gave its approval) but then were canceled BY THE OBAMA PEOPLE after they were told they couldn’t bring in photographers. Obama was always welcome. Hell, as a US Senator from a populous state, there’s a good chance he’d run into a constituent, so of course he’d be welcome.
Obama, it seems, only wants to perform his meritorious deeds when it can garner the most publicity. If it won’t make the headline news, then he’d rather just go shopping.
J.
JWG,
You brought up the cancellation of Obama’s scheduled visit to the hospital to see wounded soldiers in your posting above to criticize him for appearing before the 200,000 audience in Germany. You said
“…because he is doing that instead of talking to his fellow citizens wounded in action.
If a named source made an offical statement I would take that posting more seriously, but I will wait and watch the Evening News tonight and see if this madeup issue is used as spin in order to detrack from Obama’s successful tour to Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany and France.
Obama has more dignity that to bicker with the lamest lame duck president in America’s history. He has seen the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and he will continue to engage with the military at home and abroad and support them by getting them out of Iraq and home to their families. He will also as President send more troops to Afghanistan to fight the war on terror.
Ruh Roh, looks like the soap and toilet paper challenged are going to have to find something else to get enraged over -issues be dammed:
The Pentagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as a campaign event,” the adviser, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, said in a statement.
“Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops and decided instead not to go.”
Look at the question -
Does Obama’s trip to the Middle East make him anymore qualified to be President?
Yes 23%, No 63%, Not Sure 14%.
Only 23% of the people who answered that poll are almost complete idiots.
There’s no ‘almost’ to it. Thinking that a publicity tour somehow makes a candidate more “presidential” is ridiculous.
Ruh Roh, looks like the soap and toilet paper challenged are going to have to find something else to get enraged over -issues be dammed:
The Pentagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as a campaign event,” the adviser, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, said in a statement.
Graton is an Obama campaign advisor. This is a statement coming from the Obama camp, not the Pentagon or a military official. The hospital rep’s statement (in my linked article) is that Obama was given the go ahead for the visit with the limitations that “he could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers.” In addition, “Obama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record Obama’s visit.”
Try again, Scooby.
“Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops and decided instead not to go.”
Given the avalanche of media coverge in general and on this trip in particular, I’m not sure if Sen. Obama can visit the john without it being considered at length how it played for candidate Obama. So even if he couldn’t have any media in with him, I still think it was a good call. Like I said earlier, had he gone I think there would have been snark over using our wounded soldiers for political points, because while the photogs maybe couldn’t come in, there’d be loads of stories about it.
I think it’d be better, Dave, if candidate Obama were still occasionally Sen. Obama so he could do some genuinely cool things like visit the hospital, but in the current media/political culture I just don’t see it happening.
“The hospital rep’s statement (in my linked article) is that Obama was given the go ahead for the visit with the limitations that’“he could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers.’ In addition, ‘Obama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record Obama’s visit.’”
And Obama was fine with that, but the PENTAGON pulled the plug.
(No link. Saw it on TV.)
The state department was told not to help Obama in any way during his trip, which is strange because that is their job, to help government officials when they travel abroad. Perhaps this was the result of another mysterious policy change in a GOP controlled government department.
And Obama was fine with that, but the PENTAGON pulled the plug.
(No link. Saw it on TV.)
That’s not what the Pentagon is saying:
The state department was told not to help Obama in any way during his trip, which is strange because that is their job, to help government officials when they travel abroad. Perhaps this was the result of another mysterious policy change in a GOP controlled government department.
Do you have a link or cite for this? According to CNN:
Hardly the evil GOP plot to hobble Obama.
The speech was quite impressive. Obama surely made some friends in germany and even his slight criticism that germany could provide more support in foreign military operations seemed to be well accepted from the crowd.
There was/is a real hype about Obama here in germany at the moment. I dont know about the situation in the US but I guess he should be careful not to overdo his media presence. In a recent poll here in germany about two thirds said, that the media is oversaturated with Obama. He should reduce his media presence and let McCain make a few mistakes on TV.
By the way, the speech wasnt even translated, which was a good idea I think. Translation would have ruined the feeling and since almost every german understands english there was no real need to do so.