German Chancellor Skeptical Of Obama Speech Plan

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has signaled unease over the prospect of a possible speech by Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama at Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Merkel has "only limited understanding for using the Brandenburg Gate as an election campaign backdrop, as it were, and has expressed skepticism about pursuing such plans," Thomas Steg, a spokesman for the chancellor, told reporters.

However, Steg stressed that the chancellor is "very happy" for Obama to visit Germany and meet her and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Berlin city officials said this week that members of the Democratic candidate's campaign had contacted them about what permission and security issues would need to be resolved before Obama could speak in front of the monument.

The Obama campaign has refused to provide specifics on his plans during an upcoming visit to Europe and the Middle East, including the candidate's interest in a possible event at the Brandenburg Gate.

"Senator Obama looks forward to his visit to Germany and his opportunity to meet with the chancellor," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said. "He has considered several sites for a possible speech, and he will choose one that makes most sense for him and his German hosts."

The gate stood for 28 years behind the Berlin Wall in communist East Germany's heavily fortified border zone. Probably the capital's best-known monument, it was once a symbol of Germany's Cold War division and now stands for its reunification.

Steg noted that the Brandenburg Gate has become "a place with a particular exclusivity, intensity and symbolism" in view of past speeches by sitting U.S. presidents and events such as a large rally in solidarity with the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

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As a result, he said Merkel has voiced "great skepticism as to whether it is appropriate to bring an election campaign being fought not in Germany but in the United States to the Brandenburg Gate."

Steg said that "no German (chancellor) candidate would think of using (Washington's) National Mall or Red Square in Moscow for rallies, because it would be considered inappropriate."

He stressed that giving permission to use the venue is a matter not for Merkel's government, but for Berlin city authorities. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit said Tuesday that he would be "delighted" for Obama to appear at the Brandenburg Gate or elsewhere.

In a famous 1987 speech that used the gate as a backdrop, President Reagan urged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "open this gate" and "tear down this wall."

In 1994, four years after German reunification, President Clinton spoke on the other, formerly eastern, side of the gate _ declaring that "Berlin is free."

Organizers of Obama's campaign have said he is planning two foreign trips this summer, including stops in the Middle East and major European capitals, in an effort to boost his foreign policy credentials as he prepares for the November election against Republican John McCain.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Jens Ploetner said there had been contacts with the German Embassy in Washington regarding Obama's trip. He said that, while German officials suggested that he could visit landmarks such as Berlin's Holocaust Memorial, the Cold War-era Checkpoint Charlie border crossing and the Brandenburg Gate, they had made no recommendations on any venue for a possible Obama speech.

Comments

[Sarahjan]

Well, well, according to this article published at today's Guardian, Obama is to have visits with two neocon leaders, Sarko and Merkel[Bush’s neocon friend] and visit London only as an after thought. Thus, there is sweet poetic justice that he received rebuke from Ms Merkel. Perhaps, Obama should have studied the order of importance for restoring America's name abraod. If he did, most certainly he would have chosen Trafalgar as the site of his major speech.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/10/barackobama.uselections20082

[Boadicea]

LOL!

France and Germany didn't follow the blind leader into the Iraq Quagmire. And Canada is our biggest trade partner by a huge margin - if there's an order, Canada should be first. Silly, self-centered English garbage.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Well said, Celtic warrior.

[Steeevyo]

Merkel a Neocon? Thats the biggest joke ever.
The ignorance of your comment is remarkable.

[HermioneGranger]

I don't know Merkel in person, but she is not a Neocon and I am pretty sure she does not like Bush.

However, she es a career politician who knows how to get ahead.

[openhand]

Enough of the Bono esque fluff. Obama is going for the gates like Pink Floyd did when the wall came down but more importantly like Kennedy did when the wall was up with his,

"Ich bin ein Berliner" speech which translated means, "I am a jam doughnut". Not something you want to repeat.

things to consider:

Americans think they won WWII, the communists did.
Ronald Reagan thinks he brought down communism, the communists did.
Merkel is from East Germany so I think she understands East and West Politics.
Obama should not use this stage to talk to the U.S. with a fancy backdrop, he should use the opportunity to talk to Europe, and they don't need hope! They need a comprehensive argument, not balloons, streamers and pompoms.

[gnorrfa]

sorry, you're drawing out the myth. pres. kennedy said, "i am a berliner." in german. ask someone who is german. i've often wondered who spun this one. you are not to blame. someone could quote something from chinese and i'd have to take their word for it.

[Fritzchen]

As a German native speaker I can tell you that it's kind of true. "Berliner" is a doughnut as well as a person coming from Berlin (see also "Hamburger"). The thing is that in German, though it's grammatically correct, you wouldn't say "Ich bin ein Berliner" but "Ich bin Berliner". "Ich bin ein Berliner" sounds more as if he meant the doughnut. Kennedy had asked Willy Brandt what the correct phrase was before he held the speech. So maybe it is Brandt's fault.

[elan4444]

Again, thank you.

[MildenHall]

The Communists won WW2? Really?? Gee, from what country did arms come from by air and oversea convoys that braved icy seas and U-Boats when the Wehrmacht was putting their jackboots in Stalin's hind parts? From THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Sometimes referred to as the "Arsenal of Democracy". The Commies didn't bring down communism in Europe or any one President. It was the millions of American servicemen and women standing strong side by side with their NATO brothers and sisters on the front lines of the Cold War for over 50 years and never wavering. Our shiniest moment in those years after WW2 was, IMO, the Berlin Airlift when the Allies stuck it to Comrade Stalin and to the naysayers that said it couldn't be done.

If Obama is invited by the German people to speak at the Brandenburg Gate or any other gate then it should be good enough for any of skeptic on the same of the world or Broomhilde Merkel who, by the way she sounds is scared of love that is going to be shown Obama by the German people. As far as a "comprehensive argument" with Germany...­..there is no beef with the Germans. They were RIGHT about going to war in Iraq and Bush wasn't. No two ways about. Merkel is going to have to trade in her old kneepads in for another or step aside and follow her buddy Bush back to Crawford.

[Steeevyo]

The Airlift is common knowledge in Germany. And still every year
US Servicemen are invited to Berlin to celebrate.

Merkel has the highest approval ratings since being elected into office.
If Obama gets elected relations between her and him will be cordial there is no doubt.
Just because shes friendly with Bush doesnt tell anything about her political views on him. She criticizes Guantanamo she doesnt send combat troop to Afghanistan etc. etc.
She gets the occasional backrub, ok. But you have to take into account that on that day Merkel treated W with a Wild Bore BBQ so of course he was all loose and happy y'all.

Its called "US German friendship" and she has to act accordingly no matter who is democratically elected into office at the time.

[HermioneGranger]

Silly. Stalin won WWII, no doubt about it.

The Wehrmacht and the other Axis armies (Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy) were beaten in 1942 after Stalingrad. Stalin was handed half of Europe by Roosevelt (and Churchill ) in Yalta. Due to WWII, the Soviets managed to expand their empire for thousands of miles and kept in for nearly 50 years.

Roosevelt even considered given Stalin joint control of France, however, de Gaulle managed to get into control first, plus, Roosevelt died just in time.

NATO did not even exist during WWII. The airlift happened in 1948, three years after the war.

[ann1]

Sen Obama sure you're invited to come to the house....y­ou just can't come in,

[beastmode]

lately i think you guys have been trying to be like Drudge with these headlines. Not sure why. That's not why people come here.

[LightUpAmerica]

That's what I was thinkin'! Enuf of the prechewed news already!

[joeyp404]

I'm still confused by this world tour. Didn't Barack say knowing the people is enough? Did he not keep up with the people? Or all of a sudden, did it occur to him that the people weren't enough?

[buddhistMonkey]

Last I checked, Germans are"people," too. Or are you being intentionally obtuse?

[bygollymissmolly]

Geeze Louise...t­alk about making a mountain out of a mole hill. WTF is wrong with Merkel?

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Merkel is uptight. she needs a backrub.

[starboymikey]

Why do we keep reading that Obama is so popular in Europe that if Europeans could vote in the American election, he would receive something like 80% of the vote.

Europeans for the most part hate George Bush as a symbol of everything that has gone wrong with America. That Germany and France have elected these conservative leaders is more a testament to the incompetence of their former, moderate-left leadership than an embrace of neo-con philosophy.

[Highwind]

Ire? Where? Please change your headline. Good grief!

[mybelovedcountry]

The gates are a symbol of what we can achieve through the power of diplomacy and negotiatio­n..It is a powerful symbol of the triumph of unity over divisivene­ss.....not­hing wrong with the use of it as a backdrop by anyone in my view, as long as they get legal permission ..why not..Germa­ny is a free country Chancellor

[trudem2]

Uh-oh...! First Obama European faux pas!

Merkel's right...it­'s transparently opportunistic and in bad taste.

[Sarahjan]

InfinteShibumi
. I read the article several times and there is no doubt that Angela Merkel’s spokesman’s tone and the direct quotes taken from his press release show condescending voice towards senator Obama. Angela Merkel is talling Obama that he should not stage his speech at this historical site. Others who know more about the dynamics of German politics have posted such as the decision to whether Obama can use this historic site resides not with Ms Merkel but with the Mayor of Berlin. Angela Merkel knew this fact before making her remark. As many have noted her comment is meant to help GOP and hurt Obama. Obama campaign should not have released to the press that Obama will use this historic site before securing permission to use it. Obama is learning from his mistakes as he should and am encouraged by his admission that exposing his two daughter to access Hollywood was a mistake.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Just massage her shoulders a little and the old girl will grant you anything, just ask W.

[nonconformist2]

Now there's a visual picture I won't be able to get out of my head! eeeeeeeeee­eeewwwwwww­w.

[NYCIC]

Ire, yes. I was looking for some of that myself. I do love me some ire.

[InfinteShibumi]

Who is writing these headlines? What "ire"? What "panning"? C'mon HuffPo, you can do better!

[thepoliticalcat]

It appears that AP is pushing an agenda here. From the article:

He stressed that giving permission to use the venue is a matter not for Merkel's government, but for Berlin city authorities. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit said Tuesday that he would be "delighted" for Obama to appear at the Brandenburg Gate or elsewhere.

So, whatever Ms. Merkel might say, it isn't really her decision, is it?

[HermioneGranger]

That is true, but does Obama want to be the guest of the German government, or does he want to be the guest of Berlin's gay, leftwing mayor? His call.