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.

(No link. Saw it on TV.)

That’s not what the Pentagon is saying:

The Pentagon today said that, while political and campaign activity at military installations is restricted, it welcomes all nonpolitical visits by U.S. senators and did not barr an Obama visit.

“Nobody denied Senator Obama the opportunity to visit our wounded being cared for at Landstuhl. Obviously as a sitting senator he has an interest in that and can certainly visit in an official capacity,” said Bryan Whitman, spokesman for the Pentagon. “There are as you know, though, restrictions on what you can do as a candidate for political office, that stems from trying to maintain political neutrality and not have the military involved in politics.”

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:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told U.S. embassies overseas that they can support visits by presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, but they must adhere to certain restrictions.

Rice sent out guidance on those restrictions on the eve of Barack Obama’s trip to Afghanistan, the Middle East and Europe.

A cable sent to all posts worldwide reminds diplomats to treat the senators as “members of Congress visiting in personal or semi-personal capacities,” but “with additional restrictions based on rules related to political activity” and White House policy on contact with political campaigns.

The legal restrictions fall under the 1939 Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“It is imperative that, in implementing these various requirements, we treat both major presidential candidates evenhandedly,” Rice’s message said.

Hardly the evil GOP plot to hobble Obama.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

*** UPDATE *** From NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
A U.S. military official tells NBC News they were making preparations for Sen. Barack Obama to visit wounded troops at the Landstuhl Medical Center at Ramstein, Germany on Friday, but “for some reason the visit was called off.”

One military official who was working on the Obama visit said because political candidates are prohibited from using military installations as campaign backdrops, Obama’s representatives were told, “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.”

The official said “We didn’t know why” the request to visit the wounded troops was withdrawn. “He (Obama) was more than welcome. We were all ready for him.”

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?

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.