Obamamania in Berlin

Obamamania in Berlin

www.huffingtonpost.com

Before the largest crowd of his campaign, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Thursday summoned Europeans and Americans together to "defeat terror and dry up the well of extremism that supports it" as surely as they conquered communism a generation ago...

..."The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand," he said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Nice rhetoric. Do you believe there is substance?

It seems the people of Berlin do.

Is it maybe just clever PR stunt designed for the home audience? Or even part of a bought-out media effort to focus on a single candidate, as some claim?

www.huffingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Also: check out the pics on this front page - www.huffingtonpost.com...

[edit on 24/7/08 by pause4thought]

Germany would elect David hasslehoff if they had their way . I think they just like Americans that act larger than life.

I dunno i got nothing.

My people disappoint me yet again. So freaking glad my ancestors emmigrated away from that country.

This was very carefully orchestrated to be Obama's JFK "I am a doughnut" German event. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't mean jack squat what any European citizen thinks about any US presidential candidate. We're electing the leader of our sovreign nation, not the leader of some European Union, we've abandoned our sovreignity because we care deeply about what our neighbors think, country. I hope he enjoyed it because it will almost certainly be the largest crowd he ever speaks in front of.

Reply to burdman

Being on the other side of the pond I observe the election process from the fence. I have no axe to grind, I just like to understand what's going on in the world around me.

I find your comments fascinating. The US has long been seen as a power-broker in world affairs. Some would say its about exploiting the world for home advantage, some would say it's largely benevolent, others see a mixture. Whatever the reason, the US plays a huge role in international diplomacy and economic affairs. Presumably the Obama camp is trying to demonstrate that their man can shine on the world stage, as would be expected of a potential President. Judging by the front-page photos shown above, I couldn't help wondering to what extent the images had been orchestrated by the on-site advisors & their paid-up media cronies (if that's the reality).

I was particularly interested in whether today's event is evidence of a surreptitious king-making process, i.e. whether it should be regarded as part of a process of manipulating how the home audience perceives the man. You seem to be saying the whole event should be irrelevant to the election process. If so, it is, naturally, a legitimate perspective.



[edit on 24/7/08 by pause4thought]

reply to post by burdman30ott6


Ah yes, the Germans. Who wouldn't know a good political leader if they bit them on the a$$. They same people that have elected such esteemed people as Adolf Hitler to lead them. So, they also love O(bs)ama. So what?

reply to post by pause4thought


I don't disagree with your assessment, actually. I do believe that there's an attempt at "king building" going on here. This isn't unprecedented, actually. There's a good reason why the Kennedy clan used to be called "Camelot" and from what I read of today's speech, Obama's puppeteers borrowed heavily from JFK's famous Berlin speech.

I'm in the camp that supports this country withdrawing from much of the world political scene, at least for a generation or two. The problem is I'm not sure it's feasible anymore, nor has it really been since Pearl Harbor. History seems to tell us that a keeping to herself America will be quickly targetted and forced back into the world political and military arena. So considering my wish is probably a fantasy, I can understand the need to have a diplomatic and globally "friendly" commander in cheif. That doesn't mean that I like that fact nor that I think it should outweigh any issues that are central to America and American sovreignity, however. If everything about Barrack Obama was sunshine and farts, meaning all of his platforms were solid and good for this country, then something like him making a splash in Germany would actually be a happy thing and something to point towards as being promising. The problem here is I do not think his platforms are solid and I do not think he would be good for this country, so Europe's feelings towards him are the last thing I care about right now.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


I agree in principal. I would like to see the U.S. develop missile defense and other capabilities to the point where we could safely withdraw at least to this hemisphere, and let the rest of the barbarians in Asia and Europe duke it out until nothing but the rubble bounces over there.

Think what we could do with all our $trillions if we didn't have to waste a dime of it overseas. Problem is, they would never leave us alone, so that's where the ultra strong defense would be necessary.

A large part of the US's wealth is due to the favorable attitudes toward us around the world since WW2.

Unsurprisingly, as the opinion of the world has turned against us so strongly since our invasion of Iraq, the value of our currency has declined, and thus the price we pay for imported goods (including oil, and thus everything transported using oil) has risen.

Obama's trip overseas is meant to point out his intention to salvage American respect overseas, both to US voters and to US economic players.

It is absolutely intended for US consumption.

For every crank that loudly declares "I don't care what some foreigners think of us" there is a true patriot that cares deeply about the honor of the United States.

Much of the unpopularity of the Bush administration domestically is due to this effect. The American people are largely interested in stability, security, and prosperity, not carving out a global empire or imposing a Pax Americana on the rest of the planet.

Obama has made a point of embracing a less aggressive & unilateral foreign policy.

This trip serves primarily to advertise that fact back in the US.





[edit on 7/24/08 by xmotex]

reply to post by xmotex


You point is that since the Germans love Obama, why shouldn't we?

**shakes head**

Do I need to remind people that the Germans get zero votes in the U.S. election. Their opinion and $3.50 no longer buys a gallon of gas (thanks Pelosi).

Oh, and I wonder why Obama decided to skip visiting the wounded American soldiers there in Germany? It was originally on his schedule. Was it because he was afraid it might cost him some of the anti-war vote he's been pandering to back home? Or maybe there were too many American flags around. Or maybe he was afraid one of those true Americxan patriots would tell him where he could stuff himself right there in front of all the cameras. Yeah, that's probably the real reason - fear.

Here's an interesting story about Obama in Germany:

patdollard.com...


Here's one about him skipping the visit of wounded troops.

news.yahoo.com...

You know that's not going to get much airplay.

[edit on 24-7-2008 by jerico65]

reply to post by centurion1211


My basic point is that the fewer people around the planet hate our guts, the better off we are.

It's not really all that complicated

We are beginning to see how the foreign policy errors of the extremist right over the last few years are costing the average American citizen, not just in a abstract moral fashion, but right in the checkbook, where it really hurts.





[edit on 7/24/08 by xmotex]

I was getting ready to go out and came into the living room while Sky News was on and I heard the "news" reader mention the New World Order... I half jumped out of my skin!

It turned out they were discussing an Obama speech in Berlin and that sent a chill down my spine. After all, Hitler's second book and sequel to Mein Kampf was entitled The New World Order.
Managed to find a clip of it on Youtube:-
www.youtube.com...

Sorry if this is old news. Didn't think it warranted a new thread.
Also, this is my first ever post. Have been reading for a while though
Peace,
Matt.