Ich Bin Ein Obama Headline!

Wilkommen, and welcome to Berlin! Barack Obama is in in the house and everyone is speaking German to celebrate — especially the Germans, who are all saying " Gluecklich zu sehen!" to their preferred candidate for president (74% and counting!).

Over here, the celebrations start with the headlines, and even though Obama just arrived they've already begun: Headlines making "Ich Bin Ein" jokes. Newsweek's Michael Hirsch was first out of the gate with "Ich bin ein Commander" (saying that this was Obama's Commander-in-Chief test). Then there was Maureen Dowd with "Ich Bin Ein Jet-Setter" (which didn't really have anything to do with her subject matter, which compared Obama's feats to the Labors of Hercules) (though she totally missed a chance to compare the Hillraiser Clintonites to the Stymphalian birds! Also, Hippolyte actually gave Hercules her girdle - HRC wasn't quite that easy. Nitpicking, I know). Then there was HuffPo's own Marty Kaplan with "Ich bin ein Amerikaner" (noting that Obama in Berlin is embodying what America still means to the world — despite the Bush years). Ann Coulter sneered at the "Ich Bin Ein Berlitzer" tour (but oddly, that was it — her column was mostly about dinging McCain — she said she wouldn't have accepted his op-ed, either. The NYT is no doubt relieved at the support). Yesterday in Berlin, Brian Williams marveled via videoblog at the changes since he was there for the Wall-fall of '89 ("Ich Bin Ein Starbucks?") And both Redstate's Robert A. Hahn and cartoonist Michael Ramirez came up with "Ich bin ein Beginner." Clever.

This is, of course, just the beginning — once Obama addresses the throngs of change-loving Germans (or, as Chuck Todd said this morning on MSNBC, "a million David Hasselhoff fans"), tears down that wall between himself and looking like a president and proclaims himself a jelly donut, it'll be all over — the "Ich Bin Ein" headlines will be flying faster than 99 Luftbalons floating in the summer sky. (Am I straining for relevance here? Consider this line: "This is what we've waited for, this is it boys, this is war — the president is on the line..." Ooh. Nena was prescient!).

All of this is by way of making my own "Ich Bin Ein" joke, because German jokes are fun, and if you don't agree, then you're obviously afflicted with Welschmertz. Cheer up, young Werther! The president is on the line, and he can smell chaaaange in the air. So, apparently, can 74% of Germans.

Related:
Ich bin ein - how do you say it? [Concord Monitor]
Germans Love David Hasselhoff [SNL Transcripts]

Photo:
Courtesy of Time. The alternative headline for this piece was obviously "99 Obama Balloons Go By."

Musically Related:

Germans Love David Hasselhoff (hat tip: Chuck Todd/First Read)

"99 Luftbalons" (Nena)

"Wilkommen" (Cabaret)

Comments

[infinity]

Rachel: as your usual, you got it wrong. Hippolyte didn't give her "girdle" (actually it was more of a belt that she wore across her chest to carry her sword and spear) to Hercules, she only promised to give it to him. Unfortunately, Hera stirred the Amazons up and when Hercules saw them coming in battle gear he killed Hippolyte and took the belt from her.

[milliband]

I learned in German 1 in High School that one never puts an article like ein in front of a nationality or civic identity. When I brought it to the attention to my German teacher regarding Kennedy's seeming gaffe, she went into denial, without ever showing how it was correct. Can your German Professor ever show in literature or in recorded conversation among native speakers how Kennedy's usage was in fact usage? Propably not. That business about how it was a nuanced way to show that he wasn't a native Berliner is so much BS since Sorenson, who wrote the line admits it was a great mistake. It seems the Professor, like my German teacher is in denial that such a gaffe could be assoicated with such a classic line. I think Barak was aware of this when he used the unambiguous english phrase "Citizens of Berlin'.

[BottomLine2008]

Haven't seen any headline like that.

[DatelessNerd]

As others have mentioned, you've taken President Kennedy's quote out of context.

Actually, during his 1963 German tour, JFK not only visited Berlin, but Hamburg and Frankfurt as well.

At each stop, the President proudly proclaimed, "I am a hamburger, a hot dog, AND a jelly donut!"

[LongTimeFem]

God, can this guy get any more arrogant?

[research]

the whole jelly donut things is a right wing smear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner#Jelly_doughnut_urban_legend

[Owhon]

JFK never uttered a freestanding, "Ich bin ein Berliner". If he had, then the nuanced argument about the appropriateness of the indefinite article would have merit.

Rather he uttered words to the effect that the proudest words a person could utter (at that time) were,
"Ich bin ein Berliner".

Thus in this embedded context, his remark became equivalent to, "I am a jelly donut."

[Alterion]

I can't wait to hear the republican response to this:

"Don't listen to him!! The country is doing fine!

Tax breaks for millionaires! Stop whining!

Oh yeah pro-life and keep your gun. Vote for us!"

[timeforachangenow]

it was a "nice" speech....8)

and he did hit all the history points right...8)

but something seemed to be missing in the crowds response...8)

he's no Reagan....8(

and he's CERTAINLY no Kennedy...8(

but you do have to hand it to him for having the cajones...8)

to stand in front of all those Germans and try to convince them that the US has turned a corner...8)

but still...look into the history books and you will see the crowd response....

was VERY muted compared to the other great orators that have given speeches...

to the ever present and always attentive Germans....8)

[cheforacle]

He has the potential to be better than either of them. Kennedy was like him in terms of generational appeal but he got us further bogged down in Vietnam and his term was too short to cite him as one of the greats. Reagan did not have the depth or intelligence of Obama. Reagan's speech in Berlin was important. Obama's speech today was good but not even close to his own Top Ten speeches.

[OmnesOmnibus]

Your point is what exactly?

[DasBoot]

How about: Ich bin der naechste Praesident? If this wasn't "presidential," I don't know what is.

And no, JFK never said he was a jelly donut. Put it to rest already.

[JJK]

I'm happy that Sen. Obama has been well-received in Germany. I'm even happier that a prominent American leader can visit Germany and give a speech in front of tens of thousands of supportive locals instead of skulking in and out of the country under the cover of darkness and hidden in a cordon of security. But, the point here is to peak in the first week of November, not in the third week of July.

Let's keep our eye on the prize. The only "visual" I care about is that of Barack Obama delivering his Acceptance Speech late on the night of November 4th.

[CommanderWhitehead]

Ahhhh yes....

Change....that you can...............say.

[wayoutleft]

at this point, the phrase "ich bin ein berliner" has become a punchline. it has been completely decontextualized. now it is the exclusive property of pundits, editors, comics, and journalists. it may be resurrected as the title for a sitcom about expatriates.

[MPeter]

This is brilliant. When is the last time an American leader commanded such respect and a stage presence? On a single trip, even before speaking, Obama has repaired America beyond expectations. Go Obama!