Obama in Berlin

Germany is a nation that has had its fill of "Mission Accomplished" martial spectacles and ostentatious displays of nationalistic "glory." The Germans know it was all jingoism and propaganda. And to what else can we attribute George W. Bush's eight years of misrule but to jingoism and propaganda?

With his speech today in Berlin, Barack Obama has offered the world the same thing he has offered the people of the United States: Hope and Change. He is the "Anti-Bush" and the world is responding. The American election of 2008 will have enormous effects on the destiny of this planet and its people. This election is not only about "change," but it will be a referendum on the Bush regime and the Republican Party. Call it impeachment writ large.

There is "expert" commentary suggesting that America's problems with the rest of the world stem from something wrong with the "brand," as if the "perception" of U.S. behavior over the past eight years is what produced the unbelievably low view of America in the eyes of most of the world's people. All the world is a stage and we've had a phony cowboy rich kid in the leading role. Obama understands this "stage" better than any other American politician, and the most of the people of Berlin and Europe do too. These are people who have long ago found a consensus that health care is a human right and global climate change is a serious problem and nothing good ever comes out of aggressive war and military occupation.

Obama's appearance in Berlin today shows that it's time for the United States to rejoin the civilized world. That is all he was really saying. His speech shouldn't be overly scrutinized for its content (he spoke diplomatically). Much more important is WHERE he said it and to WHOM. The enormous gathering of over 250,000 Berliners, full of hope and good will, would never have assembled to hear a speech by John McCain. Today, even George W. Bush couldn't pull that many people together in Berlin to protest against him. (He's old news over there).

There was a wave of popular sentiment demonstrated today, and that wave is now global. It's fitting that a world leader like Obama would emerge at this perilous time, especially after 20 years of being lectured by "experts" about how the world is "flat" and "globalization" has shrunk the planet and isn't laissez-faire neo-liberalism just wonderful? Well, Obama's time has come.

How can we NOT elect this guy?

Obama should get a huge "bump" in the polls when he returns home and a well-timed announcement of his running mate can help him dominate news cycles right into the Democratic National Convention.

In 1968, it was Robert F. Kennedy's plan to take a quick trip to Europe during the lull period between the end of the primaries and the national convention. He wanted to express to the world that Lyndon Johnson's bombing of Vietnam was not what America was all about. Today, Obama performed a similar service but to a very different world.

Comments

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks kensp for linking to a poll -- I have no doubt that when he returns and begins campaigning again there will be a "bump" in his poll numbers, and probably again when he announces a great VP choice -- I mean no one wants to follow McCain around because we've had "McCain" for 8 years now - he is no different than Bush, I can't believe how the corporate media keeps letting him get away with this "maverick" stuff -- it's really over for him. I think that the turn-out on the Republican side is going to be really low this year because how many times can you bash gay people or rally the right-wing Christian soldiers who transformed Christ's teachings into hate-filled, war-mongering Republican propaganda -- How much clout does James Dobson have anymore? How much clout does Grover Norquist have? -- all of the policies they enacted, war based on lies in Iraq, tax cuts to mega-corporations and rich people, de-regulation -- it was all supposed to produce a laissez faire utopia -- instead we're in the worst economic slump in the post-WWII era. David Brooks wrote of an "ownership society" when Bush was trying to privatize Social Security -- a lot of people don't even own their own homes anymore.

[MagisterLudi]

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." Lao Tzu

[kensp]

The first time I read this argument about the rock bands yesterday I assumed it was a joke. The number of rock bands in the entire world who can draw 250,000 to a concert can be counted on one hand. The idea that these two almost completely unknown bands were responsible for the size of the crowd is ridiculous.

[KoolBreez]

"How can we NOT elect this guy? "

Never under estimate the stupidity of American people..

[TootsieII]

"Never under estimate the stupidity of American people.."

I had a conversation with a former military man in his 80"s that dislikes Obama because he wants to take the troops out of Iraq. He insisted that we are in Iraq because we were going after the terrorist who killed the Americans during 9/11. When told that we were in Iraq because we were told that they had "Weapons of Mass Destruction" he told me that I had it all wrong. Afghanistan, to him, is a minor skirmish and no were near as important as leaving the troops in Iraq. He also informed me that I needed to check out my history.

[KoolBreez]

TootsieII,

I have talked to similar people before. It is not enough that they don't know, they know things which aren't so.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

I think people commenting here who underestimate the importance of the reception Obama got in Europe are doing so by trying to ignore the disaster of the Bush regime. Bush's unilateralism serves no one, not even the United States. This is not 1948 when the US was a hub for most of the world's manufacturing and the center of world power. Things are more complicated today. If you're an investor with ties to businesses in Europe or the Muslim world, why would you want a warmonger US president? Bush pulled out of Kyoto long before 9-11, and then when he lied to the United Nations about WMD etc. and invaded and occupied and killed about 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians -- guess what -- the people in Europe (even in England whose government supported this nightmare) turned against the policy they saw as un-American -- and torture and holding people without trial are un-American -- they know more about us than we know about ourselves. In Europe, there are far fewer "Low Information Voters" i.e. Republicans. If you give the people health care and education they become better citizens -- maybe that's why the Republicans oppose those programs.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

When he returns home from the trip he'll get a bump in the polls.

[PumaAnn]

Polls are out. No bump. Guess you called it wrong.

[MagisterLudi]

Obama is fiddling while the Rome is burning....
First, the Presidential Seal, now the rock concerts in Europe. While he's slipping in polls and Americans are becoming wary of another Imperial Presidency in the offing: this on would be based on a rule of the Obamob.

And he's not even an official candidate of Democratic Party yet.

What chutzpah...

[KoolBreez]

Magister,

What a baseless comment. Another imperial Presidency? The main reason Obama is so popular is because the opposite is the case.

[kensp]

Really? What polls are you looking at? It took me about five seconds to find this: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

[cheforacle]

When are you going to join the reality-based community? See today's new Rasmussen tracking poll.

[ApolloSpeaks]

MILLIONS MOB WILSON IN EUROPE

After the war when Wilson went to Europe his motorcade was mobbed by millions of cheering people who hailed him as a world savior. European good will for America and its leader were in the stratosphere. Yet this trip was the beginning of the most destructive war in human history: WWII.

Good will toward America and its leaders is no substitute for good policies no matter how unpopular. A candidate for president who doesn't have the sense to know that there is no such thing as a "world citizen," that a world without nation states and borders means international anarchy, and that a one world government is a utopian imbecility is the type of man who will make wrong and disastrous decisions like Woodrow Wilson.

[HypeFreeZone]

"Yet this trip was the beginning of the most destructive war in human history: WWII."

Can you please provide some facts to back up your assertion that WWII, by some spurious logic, was Woodrow Wilson's fault?

[ApolloSpeaks]

I didn't say that it was Wilson's exclusive fault. It was the fault of the entire Versailles peace process of which Wilson was a part. To get his League of Nations and against his better judgement Wilson caved into Clemenceau's demand on a harsh war reparation's regime for Germany.

[bodo]

Not even German chancellor Merkel could assemble 250.000 Germans to hear her. She would be lucky to get a couple of hundred protesters. It is called charisma - you either got it or you haven't. Kennedy had it, even Bill Clinton had it at one time long ago, though he no longer has it. Poor Hillary never had it, and neither does McCain. When he recently spoke in a hall with 1500 seats, 900 remained empty.

[SeenItBefore]

It would be interesting to see if McCain's handlers could prescreen 250,000 people in Germany to root out any and all supporters of the opposition, as they are so adept at doing here.

Let's face facts, McCain could never give a public speach most places in the world because, unlike here, most other countries, allow the loyal opposition to remain a part of the democratic process.

[johnie2xs]

"The hope this man elicits can no longer be denied. This speech should highlight that fact. If you don't believe it, just try to imagine the crowd McCain would draw. It wouldn't be enough to support one pretzel vendor. "

I posted this comment on another blog about Obamas visit, and I think it states the obvious. That having been said the media already is already assailing Obama for what it perceives as his presumptuousness. Geez Louise, he can't win for losing. They get on his case for being perceived as an international lightweight, so he goes to Europe and the Middle East to show his bona fides and they skewer him for being over the top and arrogant.
What kills his detractors is the simple fact that the guy is the real deal. Since we have a world full of the hopeless reality brought about the Bushies concerning world politics, this man creates an inspirational feeling that is palpable where ever he goes, even abroad. How is that a bad thing? Why can it not be looked at as a precursor to how we could be looked upon on the world stage, should he be elected. Given our supposed preeminence on the world stage, this should be looked at as a prime indicator of where we have to go. A direction Barack can take us, and McCain can't.
Obama is a step in the right direction. McCain is regressive idiocy.

[BeenThere2]

"Impeachment writ large". Exactly right!

And yes, Obama is just the right man at this turning point. The world senses it, we here sense it. It's the same feeling as when JFK ran against Nixon (which I remember well). And JFK was 3 years younger than Sen. Obama btw, and no more experienced than he is. A President Obama would do brilliantly too - I have no doubt of that.

McCain... is a RISKY choice. A known risk, to boot. Gramm, Kissinger, nuff said.

[thedeanpeople]

Exactly wrong.

Bush and Cheney have turned the USA into a War Criminal Nation that spies on its own citizens. Only impeachment says "We shall not tolerate these intolerable violations." Failure to impeach is complicity -- tacit approval -- exoneration.

As for Obama, he is a standard bearer who bears no standard that he is willing to enforce with action. I suppose we can "audaciously hope" that he might "change" his impeachophobic refusal to DO some damn thing.

[ladyv]

"McCain is less risky" will go away (if it actually exists, since the polls are the place from which the whole idea of one being "risky" are springing) the second he has to stand onstage with Obama and has an immediate meltdown while Obama remains cool and collected. His meltdowns in general are cut short and he's taken away quickly. In a debate, they won't be able to escort him offstage unless he actually has a seizure or something.

[lafrance]

It's not us who read blogs you need to ask 'how can we not elect this guy' but, the low infos who don't read blogs or even newspapers.
They are the ones who voted for Bush twice and believed his fear and smear campaign. They are the ones who will never see this speech or know of Obama's profound words.
I agree that Obama is the anti Bush in many ways. Obama has a curious and brilliant mind, is open to new ideas and opinions, is thoughtful and well read, deliberate and weighs things carefully. He also has a wonky side that few ever know or hear about. The man graduated with honors and is well regarded by those who know him. he respects different cultures and understands them.
He is the anti Bush is so many ways. He is also the anti neocons in so many ways. and anti modern Limbaugh republicans in so many ways.

[Bluesue]

Another concern is those who get their "news" spun for them from Fox. They'll hear the words but they'll also get the spin - how presumptuous he is, how inappropriate to give a speech in Germany, how those foreigners should mind their own business etc., etc.

[scampy123]

McCain should stand in front of his mirror and give a speech then he will see why the media is giving Obama more coverage.
Who ya gonna beleive Me or your own eyes?

[Miket53]

Obama followed a rock concert of two major German groups. Do you think they all showed up for him? They watched the rock concert and then Obama walked on stage. Please...his message was to "change the world". How is he going to do that? He never gave one ounce of info on how he would approach Iraq, Iran, Yemen, the Sudan, and other trouble areas. Do you all think he will wave his magic hand and every terrorist in the world will suddenly change their ways. They will hate Obama just as much as any westerner. Obama has no experience and talks naivly of how we all can hug and change the world. He showed today that he is not ready and can only try to steal real concepts from people like Ronald Reagan to sound good. Plus I didn't like how he basically said America is a huge problem for the world. I don't think he is proud of this nation which is the greatest on earth. Who do you think rebuilt europe and gave countries like Germany and France a new start?....We did. Who rebuilt Japan?...we did.
So Mr Obama...don't villanize our great country.

[KillTheMessenger]

Thanks for showing us, again, how low Republicans can go and how little effort it takes them to get there. Not that we need such constant reminders, but then, it does not hurt to have them, either. After all, who would want to be lulled into the hysterical idea that John McCain is a nice old guy who will do his country any good? Not the majority of Americans, for sure.

[nomobull]

and if true they stayed to hear him.

[Twentylaws]

Barack Obama has not villanize our great country...our history is what it is! And as far as Obama's stances on other trouble areas in our world he has spoken on his vision to help in those regions numerous of times. Go to www.barackobama.com! That said we as Americans should look forward instead of dwelling on the past! Let's accentuate the POSITIVE about our democratic election process and the new movement it is spawning in the RIGHT direction!

[nomobull]

name them

[66rock]

I don't think you listened to the same speech I did or are these the same old tired talking points.