Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

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How many electoral votes does Germany have?

Surveying the coverage of Barack Obama’s speech in Germany, it appears that the politician in him took over completely, causing him to forget which nation he is campaigning to be president of. His implied criticisms of the United States and his talk about being a world citizen made him sound like he was trying to win the German vote by running against the United States.

It worked, too. He has the German vote locked up!

But the speech bolsters the view that despite his disavowal of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, he really does share, to a degree that matters, Wright’s poisoned view of the United States. Not that this should be a surprise. Many liberals tend toward Wright’s views to one degree or another, and to one degree or another, they think the United States deserves to be humbled. This is why liberal American presidential candidates such as Kerry and Obama are so popular in Europe, because Europe also wants to see the United States humbled.

Discussions - 7 Comments

Obama's audience wasn't really the Germans. It was his core support, living on the east and west coasts. Obama probably sensed he needed to address them since his campaign, in trying to expand its base, risks alienating the latté drinkers of San Francisco, New York, LA, etc.

That's an intriguing observation, John. Obama's core voters on the coasts are by and large people who long for the U.S. to be more like Europe (or what they are pleased to think Europe is like--they're less interested in the reality of Europe than they are in "Europe" as a stick with which they can beat the bitter gun-and-religion clingers here at home). In parading his pseudo-messianic self before serried masses of chanting Germans (interesting image, that one), was Obama working on mobilizing his coastal/latte base Stateside? Could well be, and I expect the immediate goal he had in mind may have been fundraising. After all, these people are still going to vote for him even if they're peeved at his recent lurches toward the center, and he needs to keep their Web contributions coming.

Germany paid for part of this trip/sermon/campaign rally. Obama has sent out a fund raising letter talking about his speech. Is it legal for him to split the cost of a campaign visit with a foreign government?

Reagan could speak confidently of being a citizen of America and of the world, in speaking before the UN as President of the U.S. Who's Obama?

In studies of the election of 1860, some historians claim the Germans elected Lincoln. If these Germans elect Obama, it will be because our American grandfathers killed a lot of Germans, invaded their country, and executed thousands (count 'em) of the malefactors after the war. This is called raising the regime issue, which would have been most unpleasant for Obama to do, but that's the test of leadership. Reagan passed it in a trying moment at Bitburg; Obama glossed over it in Berlin.

Stertinius/Diogenes,

can you forego imputing racism to Republicans, whose party was born in the Abolition movement. Why not forego branding the GOP racist, especially when racism reared its ugly head in the Democrat primary battle between Hillary and the false messiah.

And can you settle on one pseudonym from antiquity. The REAL Lucius Stertinius deserved better than to have his name used by you, for he took a flying column into the midst of the savage Teutons, and recoverd the lost Eagle of the XIX Legion.

Gee, isn't it possible for a moderator to remove Diogenes' disgusting post? Can't we draw any lines at all here?

To Frisk: Yes. Done. And we will be drawing some lines. Promise.

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