Should We Care What the World Thinks About Obama?

Barack Obama's speech in Berlin in front of 200,000 spectators has generated a flurry of commentary in U.S. and world newspapers, online and in print. Bloggers in many countries have analyzed the speech, the blue tie, the brilliance of his smile, the way his entrance seemed to have him floating on water as he approached the podium. Most of the coverage has been positive, noting that the speech gave a positive signal to Europe. Commentators in Germany say the speech did what it had to do -- address the world as well as his constituencies back home. Some complimented him for bringing up the issue of sending more German troops to Afghanistan, an issue not very popular in Germany.

In the U.K. newspapers called it a "historic" speech. The French Le Figaro online praised the phrasing of People of Berlin, Our time has come.

In Nairobi, a search of the Daily Nation comes up with 100 articles about Obama, and on the day of the speech the paper carried most of the text of the speech with a large picture of him on the front page.

Not all the coverage has been positive, of course. One U.K. blogger was distinctly annoyed by the speech, saying the earth did not move for her. And there were those who could not bring themselves to praise any American politician, no matter how eloquent. Europeans tend to be much more knowledgeable about history and politics than the average American, and many follow our elections with intensity and comment on U.S. websites frequently. An article in the New York Times titled "Change the Germans can't believe in" noted that Germans would be arguing if Obama was Kantian or Hobbesian or Harbermas-ian? Not too many Americans would even be able to keep up with that conversation.

However, for those of us who have lived outside the U.S. for any period of time, the obsession with the Berlin speech and Obama as a candidate around the world is completely understandable. Anyone who has traveled abroad in the last 8 years has had to answer at least one or two questions from host nationals as to how George Bush got elected in the first place. The rest of the world does not understand why we vote the way we do, and why we allowed Bush to wage war in Iraq with relatively little protest. Sometimes it's hard to explain.

Obama, on the other hand, presents a much more familiar face to the world -- multi-racial, urbane, educated, articulate, graceful, in a way that is a sharp contrast to Bush's privileged background, his tendency to misuse language, his bumbling ways and awkward walk, his faux pas in international meetings (e.g. giving a neck rub to Angela Merkel). It is precisely Obama's potential to help America regain some respect around the world that drew me to his candidacy in the first place. This trip and this speech proved what I had hoped all along about Obama's ability to inspire, not just his potential.

For Americans who believe that the rest of the world should just suck it up and love us or leave us alone, the argument that we should care what the world thinks of us will have no impact. Who cares what the French or German think about our president, they will say. Who cares what they think about Obama? That is precisely what Obama was trying to say in his Berlin speech -- that we have moved past the era in which any nation can afford to ignore its neighbors. None of the big issues facing us can be solved alone -- certainly not energy and global warming; obviously not terrorism; and definitely not trade. So how the world views Obama's trip and his Berlin speech is important. Overcoming cynicism and hopelessness is a challenge that we all will face, no matter whether we are Americans or Kenyans or Brazilians or Cambodians or - yes French or Germans. We need to care about what the world thinks of Obama.

Comments

[LittleGirl]

As an independent voter turned Dem living in Germany, it is very important to me that America is turning it reputation from invader to something more positive. The world loves America and they want to go there and visit. They love our entertainment and music which is played 24/7 here. They don't want anymore ugly (Bush) Americans that are mean and invade countries. They want peace more than anything and a clean planet for their kids. I have three trash bins for my recycleables and the part about cleaning up the planet struck a positive note for them. They are realizing that Americans are becoming green and they like that. Germans also have to take 8 yrs of english to graduate high school. We need to pay attention to their ideas and thoughts about us. Period. The US can/should take lessons on their border policies and registration.

[Pupadup4oBama]

we better care what the rest of the world thinks - we are not the only country on this planet.
We are ALL part of the global community, and the sooner we start to realize that, the better off we'll ALL be.

[CologneCitizen]

Of course it is important how the world views the USA. If you hate someone, you avoid doing business with him or her. And there is not so much left these days the USA has to sell.

From the cradle to the grave Americans are given the message they live in the greatest country on earth. And as many don't travel abroad, they have no clue about the outside world. Yes it is true, you freed Europe along with the Russians from Nazi terror but this is more than 60 years ago. We live in 2008 and we can't constantly look back in history. The next American president will demand more help from Europe and we know that. But there have to be negotiations with the USA and not simply orders from the USA. Obama is the first person since Bill Clinton where people realize he has intelligence and vision to get America back on track. That's why they cheered for him in Berlin. No more, no less.

[DallasMike]

"Of course it is important how the world views the USA. If you hate someone, you avoid doing business with him or her. And there is not so much left these days the USA has to sell."

We do busines with countries we don't like all the time.

[EbonBear]

Thank you for this. As a European, we've become somewhat sick of the attitude that while the US virtually runs the world, it doesn't need to listen to what the world thinks.

[heal57]

Please do not think that most Americans like our government running the world. We do care about other countries' people and what they think about us. Most Americans are sick about the occupation and war in Iraq. We want a president whom we respect and who respects the rest of the world.


Independent for Obama '08

[4real]

What I don't get is the MSM saying that Americans might not like the fact the Obama is well liked in Europe...huh...don't white Americans have European ancestry?

[SeriousBlack]

"One U.K. blogger was distinctly annoyed by the speech, saying the earth did not move for her."

Wow, like we should pay attention to ONE. U.K. BLOGGER.

[sarcasm]

[Pupadup4oBama]

It didn't move for me either with this speech (I was much more so with his campaign kick off) but for the Europeans it was a new thing for them to hear. Therefore it inspired me to see all those wonderful, smiling faces.

[BeenThere2]

Now the world will get to see how many of us actually believe in our own foundational American ideals, or only say we do. Do we believe in color-blindness and equality of opportunity? Do we believe in voting for the best man for the job of leading our country? Because if we do, Senator Obama is the overwhelming obvious choice... that is, for all except the 1% richest Americans (and corporations). 1% isn't 50+%, it can't win an election on its own.

Do we walk the walk, or only talk the talk? I think that will have a great deal to do with our credibility in the future. That might have something to do with how much cooperation we receive from other countries going forward

But the Democrats can be proud of nominating Senator Obama, no matter what happens.

[BHJensen]

The good doctor states the obvious - of course we should care as opinion of Obama eventually translates into an opinion of "us". Cowboy Bush managed to ruin whatever goodwill Bubba (and "we") created and it will take more than a speech in Berlin to re-right (is that a word?) the ship of state. But it is a start and a start we need. Like you, I was around for the first "i am a berliner/jelly doughnut" speech and long for the days of when we were admired for our belief that "knowledge transcends national antagonisms" (March23, 1962; JFK). Obama, regardless of all other considerations, bests McCain in this arena; can the choice be any more obvious?....I mean, really......

[justobserve]

In any business, if you are viewed favorably by your partners or opponents, it is much easier to do business with. It is human nature. Just look at our history where our leaders did something great for the world. Did they do it alone? Of course not. If Gabachev and Reagan hated each other, they would have done whatever to anger the other instead of cooperation.
World collaboration is a must for a peaceful world and that starts with the nations' leaders.

[dumboldman]

Definitely we should care. As Obama said just the other day we should be ashamed when we go to another country and can't even speak their language. The folks in Berlin must really have been impressed when he spoke to them in their own language, and didn't even call himself a "jelly doughnut". And I don't think for one minute that those folks came to see a concert; that was just a happen-so.

[clevelandchick]

Yes, it's absolutely vital. The United States is no longer the world's only Super Power. In fact, I think there is no one Super Power left and that concept is completely passe.

The US was viewed by the world with envy and admiration when we used soft power after WWII. Now we're viewed as the global bully. Eventually everyone loves to see the bully go down. Our only hope is to stop being the bully and start being the leader we used to be.

Obama is clearly more skilled than McCain for this position...first and foremost he at least realizes the border of Iraq is not Pakistan. But more importantly I think he can rally leaders by connecting with their people to band together to solve the problems we need to. That's major. Bush only concerned himself with connecting with the leaders of the nations, not the people. Connecting with the people forces the leaders to recognize what they want. They call him elitist but in reality Obama really is practicing bottom-up poltiics, appealing to the people before the leaders. It's what we need.

[oldpotsmuggler]

"we have moved past the era in which any nation can afford to ignore its neighbors"

Yeah, I personally saw that road sign whip past our national "tour bus" about when we really screwed up and elected Reagan. Since then the best we've been able to come up with was "Slick Willy" and we still hadn't matured enough as a nation to appreciate what a true gem even that guy was.

Folks, to this geriatric citizen it looks like we really don't have many more shots to hit the target. We've never really been better than anyone else on an individual level, and probably the best thing that BUSHCO did was bring us down to the point where most of us can now understand that our best future course of action is to forge alliances all across the planet. The future is coming at all of us and there really is no excuse for us in "the land of the free and the home of the brave" to continue to believe that we have an exclusive copyright on that slogan.

The differences between the "Good Ship Earth" and "The Titanic" diminish by the minute.

[peterg76]

Maybe not all, but a lot of foreigners quite sincerely want to help the US rejoin the free world.

[Fairfloss]

We are the reason they are part of the FREE world.

[nomobull]

checked with iraq lately

[Garioch]

If you mean WW 2 that would be Britain and Russia you are thinking of. Getting caught by surprise 2 years into a global conflict and then playing a bit part from that point on does not allow you to claim to have saved the world from tyranny.
Looking forward to seeing how you maintain this level of arrogance on your slide down the rankings.

[JimR]

Yup. And help from France is a big reason we became a free country.

[peterg76]

All the more tragic that the US has descended into a crypto-authoritarian state.

[heal57]

No, we're not. Don't be an arrogant American.


Independent for Obama '08

[NoSandwiches]

Agreed. Obama represents America right now. He gives hope to the rest of the world that we will not continue to follow the policies and attitudes of GW.

[KiwisCanFly]

NoSandwiches

Your 2nd sentence is absolutely correct.
Your 1st sentence is not accurate. But I sure would like it to be so.

[BCubedReg]

KiwisCanFly

Very astute.

[XME]

Yes, we should care. We should also care about those people who think there's something wrong with the rest of the world liking him, like there's something wrong with that. There's been a lot of talk this year as to whether or not Obama is an "elitist". Maybe we need to ask ourselves if we act elitist towards the rest of the world. This may be the wealthiest country in the world, but it certainly doesn't give us the right to judge them or act like we're better than citizens of other countries.

Perhaps what's wrong in America is how WE view the rest of the world, which you can be sure has something to do with how they view us!

[KiwisCanFly]

An insightful observation XME.

[blaqntelligence]

Agree with KiwisCanFly.......

As Colognecitizen pointed out, "...from the cradle to the grave Americans are given the message they live in the greatest country on earth."

That message have blinded us to the fact that citizens of other nations feel the same way about their country.