Bush Official Denies German Press Reports On Obama Speech

The Bush administration is denying reports in German newspapers that officials expressed opposition to a possible Obama speech at the Brandenberg Gate, TPM reports:

Der Spiegel cited another German press report quoting Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt saying this about the idea: "It would be nice if the German government would focus on strengthening its contacts to us rather than already beginning to look for our successors."

But Kimmitt's spokesperson Brookly McLaughlin . . . says that the quote from Kimmitt was not a reference to the battle over the speech.

"He was meeting with some folks in Germany last week and was asked a question regarding U.S. policy after the election," she continues. "This was before the issue of the Obama speech had even arisen so in no way was it a comment on that."

She adds that Kimmitt didn't say that the German government shouldn't engage with Obama, saying that he merely said "that he hoped the German government would stay engaged with the current administration even as it began outreach to potential successors."

Read more on the German newspaper reports here.

Comments

[FogBelter]

Die Linke (The Left Party) is breathing down the Center Right Christian Democrats and Merkel's neck. Obama appeals to this group and the message of Change he brings can not be comforting to Merkel or her party, so I am not sure how much prodding she would have needed from Bush to limit Obama's exposure.

As a side note, progressive, liberal. leftist Americans should keep an eye on the success of Germany's The Left Party with an eye towards the future should the center-right Democratic Party continue to sell us out.

[HannibalSilver]

I have read the German press for years now, and I find it quite reliable and trustworthy. Regardless of the place, Obama speech will be historical, inspirational and transformational. They may succeed in moving his speech location, but the bricks of Brandenberg Gate will amplify his voice to all corners of the earth. On the other hand, I am pleased with the synchronized liberation of Ingrid Betancourt during McCain's recent trip to Colombia. This is good news for the Beatles' straight talk song: "I get by with the little help of my friends...­"

[UnknownSoldier]

The World is waiting for the United States to take the leadership position again, but they are also planning to move on without us if we do not take the lead position. Bush nor Clinton could do it, Bush has Iraq, and Clinton has Rwanda both diasters in world politics and both failures of leadership.

[bygollymissmolly]

Let's see, who do I believe? Do I believe the German press with no dog in this race or do I believe the lying sack of $hit representative of the B'ush Crime Family. That's a no brainer. I believe the German press.

[meltingpot101]

That was my argument. Great point.

[UnknownSoldier]

65 Years Ago we would not have believed one word coming out of the German Press, now the tables have turned where we can't believe anything our Press says here because of our Reich.

Mike Malloy maybe crazy but he's right a lot of the time. "Bush Crime Family"...­.... spot on

[bellecloche]

Well said.

[speakingtruth2power]

BushCo represents the return of fascism and Obama represents it's rejection.

Europeans see this as social regression verses an offer of hope for progress.

Devolution or evolution, that is really our choice and the whole world is hoping.

[Manni]

Once a N azi always a N azi!

[keepemhonest]

It is no secret that Bush & all his people are liars .... are they lying now?

July 5, Obama's plans for speech become public - "No location has been announced, but the Berlin Senate has reportedly been asked whether Obama can speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate, where former US President Ronald Reagan gave a famous speech" "Chancellor Angela Merkel, have expressed willingness to meet Obama."

... 2 days later ...

July 7, G8 Summit begins in Japan. Chancellor Merkel still wanting to meet Obama & no reservations about his speech.

... 2 days later....

July 9, Bush's gal-pal suddenly rejects Obama's speech.A spokesman for Merkel this morning said, the speech would be "inappropriate" but doesn't say why.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who represents an opposing party of Merkel and who may be Merkel’s rival next year for the chancellorship, has expressed his support for the Brandenburg staging. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, who like the foreign minister also belongs to the Social Democratic Party, has offered even more enthusiastic backing for the idea, and told reporters that it was the Obama’s campaign’s decision to make.

.... hmmmm ....

[speakingtruth2power]

Hmmmm, Merkel might have chosen her Bilderberg buddies

over her reelection possibilities. Buh bye Chancellor Merkel!!

[marlainWA]

Could be like Australia their last prime minister liked Bush and the war and look how he got voted out. I have close friends who live there and couldn't wait till Howard left. maybe that is how the people of Germany feel.

[bygollymissmolly]

Merkel, the ever loyal Bush poodle. It confuses me though. The people in her country HATE Bush and are no to fond of our country. So why would Merkel side with someone her country hates?

I wonder what Bush has offered her. It must be worth quite a lot.

[pupbayer]

Or just maybe she made her decision independent of what Bush said.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

It's laughable that BO would go there in the first place. It will only show what a small man he is when they start contrasting his feeble foreign policy "positions" with the great Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" quote.

[protagonia]

fishsandwi­chesr2good See Profile I'm a Fan of fishsandwi­chesr2good

It's laughable that BO would go there in the first place. It will only show what a small man he is when they start contrasting his feeble foreign policy "positions" with the great Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" quote.
----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­--------

There actually have been some disappointing things that Barak Obama has done of late. My heart began to sink a little in the last few days. Then, when I see trollers go after him - I know he's doing something right. They never attack anything bad. With rare exception - whatever they say, believe the opposite.

Thank you, fish sandwich, for giving me hope again. Please return to give us all a boost again and again.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

Well, I wrote you a long, witty response that clearly would have allowed you to see the light, but the moderator chose to censor it. Oh well, you'll have to remain in the darkness.

And as for you, Mr./Ms. Moderator, take no offense when I say "Go f*ck yourself".

[speakingtruth2power]

Trolls and their neocon gods are afraid of this speech setting because it will show

the degree of dissatisfaction towards BushCo in Europe and an international hope

for real change in American politics. It's going to be fun listening to them whining!!!

[fishsandwichesr2good]

No offense to Europeans, but who cares? Reagan was hated by the Europeans but they loved Carter. If that doesn't tell you all you need to know when it comes to their judgement, then nothing does.

[swooge]

huh?

Maybe we should compare and contrast Raygun's delivering a quote someone else wrote for him to something Thomas Paine wrote himself.

That wouldn't make more sense than your drivel, but it WOULD be a lot more interesting.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

LOL Have you seen Barack when he's not reading from a teleprompter? The man becomes an absolute stuttering fool.

[Eoin45]

Reagan was an actor and, as such, could be expected to delivery his lines, which he did in Berlin. And that's all he did. Maybe you're afraid the media will contrast Obama's speech with the one Reagan made in front of Margaret Thatcher where he read the same page twice.

[bygollymissmolly]

Your Republican fear is showing. Perhaps you should put it away before you embarrass yourself.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

I have no fear of Barack Dukakis.

[popecorvo]

Why on earth would anyone believe any statement made by any "BUSH OFFICIAL"?

[speakingtruth2power]

The American MSM has been very supportive of our neocons yet many of US despise them.

I can only imagine how unpopular they are w/ Europeans who are free of their propaganda!

[protagonia]

popecorvo

Why indeed?

Concise.

[JJeff88]

There are oodles of European countries worth visiting.

I can't help but wonder if the best thing Sen. Obama might do would be to simply tell the German's "Sorry for any inconvenience" and then quietly delete that country from his travel schedule.

[americanwhocares]

GW Bush and his Bushco’s people do not know how to tell the truth, they are all delusional; so every time they make a statement you know it is a lie. Pathetic pretend family values people.

[LeonBNJ]

I wouldn't be surprised if some pressure was put on the German leaders to discourage O speaking at such a symbolic site. They would probably prefer he speak in some small indoor facility because they know at the proposed sites there will be huge crowds expressing their anti-Bush opinions. While a Presidential canidate speaking and effectively campaigning outside the USA as against the usual rules of the past, to me O want's to show Americans that the world hates Bush and by extension McCain and their horrible international policies.
I would add that he shouldn't speak in front of the nearby Holocost memorial if they won't let him speak in front of the Gate as to me it would be improper. Perhaps a better alternatve would be in front of the also nearby German Parlament building, a place of significant history and lots of room for those that want to see his speech.

[drolleen]

Why don't I believe the last part of the sentence "...even as it began outreach to potential successors­."

Hmmm. Lets see. That is the same administration that instructed its justice department to root out republican judges that are not loyal enough, that chose to reveal the identity of a CIA wife of a not-loyal enough ambassador. Now they are intimidating not-loyal-enough countries.

Obviously they told the Germans: "If you dare speak to Obama before Nov 3 we will bomb your beer gardens in October" (Hey, my joke is no worse than McCain's Iranian cigarettes joke!)

[Soulsurfer]

Let's not forget Rummy calling Germany part of "Old Europe"...­...I'm sure some in Germany haven't.

[Chrys]

Like I have always on this site, I am a European and to tell you people the truth, Germans, Austrians, Italians and Swiss citizens are already planning the rally in Berlin when the next President of the USA President Barack Obama would be visiting.
There is this grand plan to make his visit, in Germany a thing that would make the McCain Campaign throw in the towel. President to be Obama would be talking in Berlin to a crowd of nothing less than 5000 People. Bush in Eight years has never got such a crowd outside the USA, if there are people who come out when Bush is in Europe, such people are people Protesting.
In the UK, the crowd would be more than the one Americans are going to see on their TV screens from Germany. I just hope the McCain masculated MSM would show it to the American people, so that they see what it would mean for the American people if Sen. Obama is elected.
We are organising ourselves for the great visit of Sen Obama. There is notthing the Bush Administration in US would do to stop the FREE PEOPLE of Europe not to attend "THE EVENT".
The visit to of the Democratic Nominee for President.

[SpaceCadet]

I suspect that Bush could get a big crowd in Germany, too. But the riot police would be able to control them.

[SuiginTou7]

Image, a president that can speak eloqiently and inspire people and not enrage others with he's own stupidity and arrogence. I won't miss Georgie anytome soon.

[Oldtimer]

This is a very tantalizing thread and I hope Arianna sees it. Obama is an inspiring speech
giver. All he has to do is give a speech at the Brandenberg Gates to a throng and the election is over. Then Obama goes to Paris and Londo and Rome in a whirlwind. Obama should do this
while Bush is in China. What a great contrast.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

Only drawback is the MSM will ignore it, so only everyone else in the world except Americans will hear about it.

[PumaAnn]

Who cares what Europe thinks? Americans are voting. This is OUR election.

Oh well, I don't care. I always thought he'd be a big photo op president.

Looks like I called that one right.

[MarkInEugene]

Finally, American's will stop being subjected to the embarrassment of listening to the inarticulate and often inane comments of the most incompetent president in my 60 years. Bush was a narrow-minded, arrogant simpleton that American's voted into office TWICE...go figure? Hopefully she has come to her senses!

The next time you want to vote republican, at least vote someone into office who has the credentials, qualities and background to be a president!!!!

[draba]

I agree with you completely, Mark--with one exception. Bush was only voted into office once.

[billreef]

The crowd will bring in a lot more than 5000. you might want to think more like 50,000. The Germans are as tired of Bush as we are and they are beginning to tire of Bush's new Dachschund, Angela.

[larazon]

O is admired and Bushie is so hated he wouldn't dare speak at the Brandenberg Gate, because he would be run out of town by angry mobs. He just feels threatened by O's popularity around the world. O's popularity diminishes Bushie's legacy furtther, if that's still possible.

[Kwaayesnama]

Lying is something new to the GOP?
There were weapons of mass destruction –weren’t there?
Sedam Hussein was responsible for 9-11?
Oil was going to pay for the Iraqi war?
Mission accomplished!

[DesertLight]

You wouldn't have found it here but they just removed a bunch of yellow cake last week. I use Matt Drudge (the Drudge Report) before I come here daily to get the news and see how distorted it is once I get here.