Obama Berlin Speech: US Foreign Service Workers Instructed Not To Attend

**UPDATE 7/25** ThinkProgress now reports that the bar on Foreign Service workers attending Obama's speech in Berlin --through what a diplomat's union called an "unnecessarily narrow interpretation" of the Foreign Affairs Manual-- may be even more partisan than initially reported. Despite railing against Obama for giving a speech outside the country, John McCain himself gave a speech in Ottowa as recently as June of this year, as reported by The Huffington Post's Rachel Weiner yesterday. Now, ThinkProgress reveals that McCain's speech in Canada prompted no such restrictions for the country's Foreign Service workers. In fact:

The event was reportedly organized in part by U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, whom President Bush appointed in 2005. But more than that, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa confirmed to ThinkProgress that Wilkins also attended the event.

Not only did McCain make clear references to and critiques of Obama's policy positions in the speech, but he also referred to his own presidential campaign six times.

***

Although it appears most of Berlin is heading to Obama's speech today, US Foreign Service personnel will be banned from the event. And they are not happy. The American Foreign Service Association, a union of Foreign Service workers are opposing the rule. Read more from The Washington Post. And watch the speech live here.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin has instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen. Barack Obama's public rally today, which the State Department this week labeled a "partisan political activity" prohibited under its regulations for those serving overseas.

Government employees serving in the United States are permitted to attend such events under the Hatch Act, which bars other partisan activity, such as contributing money or working in behalf of a candidate...

...The American Foreign Service Association, the union of the diplomatic corps, objected to the ruling, calling it an "unnecessarily narrow interpretation" of the Foreign Affairs Manual. "The fact that you are working for the U.S. government overseas should not preclude political activity that you could engage in in the United States," one retired senior Foreign Service officer said.

HuffPost blogger Jacob Heilbrunn looks into the political connections around the rule:

Indeed, the administration has a long and tawdry record of trying to browbeat government agencies into submission, whether it's the CIA or the Centers for Disease Control. The State Department is perhaps highest on the list of conservatives and neocons who see it as the center of disloyalty and treachery. But this latest action represents a new low. If it's going to these lengths, the Bush administration must be really worried about Sen. John McCain's prospects.

Comments

[RGKahn]

How does the Hatch Act apply in this case. The Hatch Act bars partisan political activity in government offices. Since when is a public park considered a government office? Even if it is in a foreign country/city. And when did this administration start worry about violating the Hatch Act? It violated the act during the 2002,2004 and 2006 elections with meeting and power point presentations designed to help republican candidates and hinder Democratic candidates that were held in various federal government offices in Washington DC as well as field offices around the country. Take that your dirty traitors at Foggy Bottom.

[lisakaz2]

Yep. And of course the protest over the law violations was swept under the msm rug. This time they'll prob defend Booo$hie.

[ThunderclapNewman]

The Hatch act doesn't cover events like this---and it was a speech by a sitting senator, with no partisan appeals concerning the election.

[Liberalvalues]

Did they ban them from McCain's visits? Don't they have a right to vote?

[Thron]

I seriously hop that our service workers did find ways of imagination to attend that speech.
I just watched the speech on MSNBC.
GREAT! I saw American flags, I saw a crowed that German politicians barely come up with. I saw European cheering not booing, not protesting an American official.
And you know the odd feeling about it is that he is even not the president...yet.
The odd feeling is that they want him to be the world's voice. The president of America to lead the world's challenges.
You can go to Europe and elsewhere in the world now and feel proud again to be an AMERICAN.

[WLA]

Unless you work for the State Department.

[gladys46]

Bu$h, Inc. are actually jealous ... there were no burning effigies or corraled protesters yelling insults as there are places Bu$h has gone!!

And, O hasn't been sworn in yet!!

[Marlyn]

And he isn't even the nominee yet, he's only the "preemptive nominee".

[FCBarca]

Gotta love politics under the Bush regime, Freedom at every turn eh?

[debrouillard]

Why are they so scared of Obama? I mean he is only a skinny little kid,with a funny name.

Hillary was terrified by the thought of Obama going out to campaign in states.Towards the end of the primary ,she overtly turn in to inciting racial hatred to keep Obama away from campaigning in predominantly White areas.Which forced Obama not to campaign in West Virginia and Kentucky.

[atomic]

I would have gone any way and let the state department stuff it.

These right wing Neo-conservatives are nothing more than Nazis.

They are the ones who hate our freedoms because it questions their authority and their agenda.

Their real agenda has to be covered up with control over the people and mind control.

[lisakaz2]

They sure made it easy to come to this conclusion. The manual does not not want the foreign service to be political but in banning their attendance of a speech, isn't that in fact political? I did not know that listening to a speech was the same as stuffing envelopes for a candidate. Sheesh.

[letuckerchicago]

Disgraceful. This is a clear bastardization of the Hatch Act. I hope the majority of people had the courage to ignore this foolishness and exercise their right to hear the speech in person.

[Ammobob]

The present interpretation of the Hatch Act and it's revisionsis here:

http://www.afsa.org/StateVP/politicalactivity.cfm


Just because you don't agree doesn't make it RIGHT. Pun intended.

[keepemhonest]

The Hatch Act - TOTALLY permits employees TO attend political rallies. Although, Obama has said for days this was not going to be a political rally & it wasn't.

1. Condi Rice sends an email to ALL US Embassies NOT to help Obama except for security.

2. NOW, US Embassy employees not allowed to attend Obama's NON-PARTISAN speech.

Come on MSM - COVER THIS!

[ThunderclapNewman]

This wasn't a partisan event, Ammoboob.

This was a speech by a sitting senator, with no exhortations about the election or pleas for votes.

[Gatormouth]

If they watch it on local television or radio will they be punished? The simple act of listening to a speech on one's own time should not be confused as equaling political activity which can be banned. Our Constitutional guarantees should protect us from our government's excesses wherever we are in the world.

[karela]

What Colin Powell said of Addington, is also true of Bush, Cheney and from appearances, Condi:

"He doesn't believe in the Constitution."

[omaro]

I just re-read the guidance for adhering to the Hatch Act put out for state department employees at the link provided by AmmoBob above. This directive for employees in Berlin clearly did not comply with the Hatch Act, which absolutely allows employees, on their own time, and when not in a uniform or car or something that identifies them as state department employees, to attend such a rally or do many other things to express their own private opinions. I hope that many of the employees decided to go to the rally anyway.

[Velocitor]

So if federal employees can't participate in partisan political activities, what are all those active duty military you see standing (uncomfortably) behind Bush in so many speeches? Neocons hate the taste of their old medicine.

Vote EVERY incumbant out of office in November.

[Triciann]

I expect they watched on TV and felt bitter that they were barred by a government (that of America) who says it believes in free speech and the right to assembly. Hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. All those Germans waving the Stars and Stripes and cheering.

[GV97]

What a joy to see our flags flying and not burning !

Great speech!

Sen.McCain has said he would like to speak in Berlin... but as President !
Only in your dreams Sen.McCain.

The US employees must feel proud that over 200,000 took time to attend.
Thank you Germany for your support of this marvelous candidate.

[omaro]

Let's remember that there are tens of thousands of Americans in Berlin also.

[MikeDu]

"...which the State Department this week labeled a "partisan political activity""

How many times have we seen the Bush admin FORCING government employees to stand behind the idiot-in-chief and cheer for photo ops? How many government employees have been hired for the most base political leanings over the last eight years?
Right Wing = hypocrisy and mendacity.

[DAVESEAN]

BUSH ,THE DICTATOR

[makeanimpact]

The speech was at 7pm Berlin time. No need to call in sick...this was supposed to be their free time.

[1differentdrummer]

Could they have attended a Bush speech?

[mabinog]

All foreign service staff will be required to remain in their offices and genuflect before W's picture for the full term of Obama's speech.

[WLA]

Cruel and unusual. Heh.