Presidential nomination a side this is a great thing for all americans.........there should be nothing negative to say from either side....a real patriot would be proud.
Foreign policy is more important now than ever. Smart move by Obama. Obama is playing this campaign with a plan to win. I think it's gutsy, but I also think we need a President with that kind of attitude. So he thinks he may be someone special... good. I like special Presidents, always have.
: Translation: I don't have the nads to take this bet, unless by some miracle the Obama campaign implodes.
Foreign policy is important but is campaigning the same as foreign policy? Whether Obama was well received or not in Germany I'm troubled by the idea of dragging our US campaigns beyond our borders just as I would be if candidates in races in other countries were to hold campaign rallies here. To me this move does seem arrogant and presumptious for a candidate to do. In essence crowning himself as the winner to the World even while there is still months of campaigning to go.
Fewer people would show up for McCain in Germany than the dozens of adoring supporters that came out for the Straight Talk Express in Columbia.
No where in the background did I see the Brandenburg Gate. Would Obama be this much of a pushover as President? We'll never know, as he will not win, but he just lost a face-off to Angela Merkel. Losing to a woman, ouch. Too weak to lead. Too naive to lead. In over his head.
a followup question on my own post. In the last two Mexican presidential elections I vaguely recall candidates had events here in the US in Texas and California. Does anyone else remember that and what was the reaction to those?
Merkel’s Office: Obama’s Speech Sent “Positive Signal” to Europe The German Chancellor’s spokesman praises the Land of Lincolner’s Thursday Berlin address in Friday news conference, says Obama’s priorities are in line with Germany’s. “(Obama) underlined the fact that the challenges of the 21st century can only be tackled together, only in international cooperation — that corresponds with the German government’s position.” http://thepage.time.com/2008/07/25/merkels-office-obamas-speech-sent-positive-signal-to-europe/ poor gorge
I didn't realize this but this is the same woman bush gave an impromptu massage to, maybe obama is taking the wrong approach LOL
Looks like they really hated him over there: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/07/24/world/0724-OBAMAGERMANY_index.html
You wouldn't have been able to see it anyway with those 200,000 people chanting "Obama" blocking the view.
It's clear an Obama administration will take this country in a dramatically different direction from day one. It would be negligent of him to not start prepping for that right now and probably disastrous of him to wait until his inauguration. Also, we don't drag our campaigns beyond our borders. The whole world already follows our elections. For decades now, the President of the United states has had an impact on the lives of most people around the world. Is it arrogant? Well yes... as would any action by any person who thinks they have what it takes to be President... and the only people we're going to get to run for President will all be arrogant to the hilt, though some are better at hiding it than others. The trip also shows leadership and capacity for governing... the Obama campaign pulled off a Presidential-like trip without any of the accouterments or advantages of the office and the did it very well. By the way, I'm waiting for your condemnation of McCain for going to Columbia and making an overtly political speech... and Canada.
Prepping for it is one thing but stepping into the role as American spokesperson and for an Admin that is still not a fact is very presumptious. There was a reason Kerry didn't reveal what foreign leaders had expressed their support for him as it while it was very likely true given that if Europe could've voted in the 2004 US election Kerry would've won in a landslide. Very true that the US government does have a big impact on the lives of people around the World but during the Cold War so did the Soviet Union and the PRC is rapidly gaining influence so should they hold their internal leadership struggles outside their borders? I think it is fine that people around the World are interested in US politics but I don't think that that should extend to campaign rallies in other countries for a couple of reasons. The first as I stated above it is presumptious and arrogant. The second though is that in the end these people don't have a vote and no matter how much they cheer, or jeer, the don't have a say in our election. The third is while I think world opinion is important that shouldn't be a the most important factor in the US. I believe we should cooperate more with other countries and don't disagree with the substance of Obama's speech but at the same time I don't think a candidate should be making a campaign speech to another country. And I agree that it takes arrogant people to run for office that doesn't mean that I find something this presumptious, as to portray oneself as the President when the election is yet to be decided, unseemly. Consider if Hilary Clinton had done this. I have to admit I hadn't heard of McCain making a political speech in Columbia or Canada, maybe there is something to McCain not getting that much coverage, but if he did I don't agree with it either. Although I will hold final judgement until I see something more about the context of his speeches. I also caught mention that McCain is running ads in Israel. I think that is a terrible idea.
