Some points to ponder:
- Was Barack Obama speaking as a citizen or a candate? Is it reasonable to believe that he made a speech to 200,000 Germans as a citizen? This was his first visit to Europe in four years. Was it a coincidence that it happened during the U.S presidential campaign?
- Was it reasonable for Obama to use Boston drivers as an example of auto polution while speaking in the land of the no-speed limit autobahn where Benses and Bimmers fly the highway at 100+ mph?
- Considering that "we" did not elect Barack Obama to represent us to the Germans, was it reasonable for him to state that "we" had not perfected America. Has anyone from Germany, France, Great Britain, or any other nation stated that they had not perfected their countries?
- He initially said he did not visit wounded U.S. soldiers while in Berlin because he was restricted from doing so by the military. However the military stated that the only restriction was that he not involve his campaign personnel in his visit. If he had time for the Germans, French, and British, why did he have no time for U.S. wounded soldiers?
4 comments:
Hey Dom,
I think it is great that you have started a blog! I think it is safe to say that I will enjoy your forthcoming posts as much as I have your articles that have made the papers.
I do have a few responses to some of your points in regards to Obama.
I think he was speaking as both a citizen and a candidate. I don’t believe that someone running for a political office can inherently separate the two, it would be irresponsible. Also, the fact that a Senator, citizen and presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee can go to a country that withdrew its support from the war in Iraq and protested the likes of our current president to find a crowd of 200,000 for a speech is not only amazing, but a symbolic moment on the world’s stage and something that should be celebrated and embraced.
I feel it is reasonable for Obama to use Boston drivers, or any US drivers, as an example of auto pollution. Germany has a higher percentage of drivers behind the wheel of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles than the US. They also have greater percentage of its population relying on public transport and other alternative means to get around than that of the US. Actually, the average German household produces a carbon footprint that is less than half of the US household – this is true of France and Italy as well. We only constitute 5% of the world’s population yet produce 40% of its carbon emissions. Were his comments reasonable? I believe that they were.
Correct me if I am wrong but I don’t believe that “we” elected George W Bush either? I would like to think that Obama travels throughout the US and sees so much promise and opportunity to do better, to be better. That there is an ideal perfect that is out there and obtainable and that we as a country have been moving away from that ideal for quite some time. Our status on the global stage has taken a real beating under the tenure of GWB and it is time for a change. I realize that his rhetoric is much different than that of GWB or McCain however; I value the ability of a person to admit that things aren’t perfect instead of simply staying the course.
On the last point, from what I have read the trip to visit wounded US soldiers was canceled so as to avoid the appearance of politicizing war casualties. I’m not sure if this is right or wrong just yet.
I agree that for him to suggest that he was not speaking as a candidate was irresponsible and also unbelievable, but here is his quote from the speech: "I come to Berlin as so many of my countrymen have come before. Tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen - a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world." As far as the crowd of 200,000, my first question is, Why were they not at work? Seriously, it's not the first time that a large crowd of Germans were aroused by emotional oratory. Ironically, the last time they overreacted to nationalism, and this time around it is to socialism.
No question that many Germans citizens rely more on public transportation than we in the U.S. One reason is that their mass transit systems are relatively new, having been built during the 1950s after WWII. In addition, their carbon footprint benefits from the fact that 30% of their electricity is generated by nuclear power. In France it is close to 80%! In the U.S. it is less than 20% and no new nuclear generating plants are under construction here. I think you know why.
As far as election of our President, I believe "we" did elect George Bush for a second term in 2004. In fact, this time around he won both the popular vote and the delegate count. In 2000, he lost the popular vote but won the most delegates which is what counts in a U.S. election. Not sure if that's the way it works in Germany, but frankly, who cares.
On your last point, you will soon find out that Obama could have readily visited the wounded troops as a U.S. Senator but refused. Here is the DOD statement regarding this issue:
"Sen. Obama is welcome to visit Landstuhl or any military hospital in his official capacity as a United States senator," Morrell (Chief Pentagon spokesman) said in a brief interview. "But there is a DOD policy which governs campaigning and electioneering at military facilities that would have to be respected if he were to visit. That distinction was relayed and made clear to campaign, and they made a decision on their own based on that guidance."
Correct me if I'm wrong, he is still a Senator and not yet the President, right? In other words, making 3-pointers with the cameras on is A-OK but visiting wounded soldiers with the cameras off not worth the time.
So Obama is a socialist? I'm actually down with that, ever been to Sweden? The quality of life is amazing there!!
In regards to the troops, Obama chose not to go because he either couldn't or didn't want to politicize a war that he didn't vote for which, makes sense to me. On the other hand, I think not visiting the troops was a bad move on his part yet, I am sure there is more to the story.
In regards to the suggestion about politicizing a war, he could have put on a flight suit, spent thousands of tax payer dollars desiging, fabricating and putting up a huge sign and flown in a chooper onto an aircraft carrier....but I digress.
One additional question, in regards to the German crowd, which was the last time they overreacted? Kennedy? Reagan? Or have you just made a comparison between Obama and a historical figure that shall remain nameless?
PS. Did you hear the latest on McCain and his timetable for the war. Let us hope he doesn't take up windsurfing...again, I digress.
I'm enjoying this!
Actually, Obama's "vast" experience come from his days as a community organizer, which is about as Socialist as you can get.
You are right again - Obama chose not to visit the troops because he was restricted from politicizing the visit. The fact is that he planned to visit with his campaign entourage and when the military told him that he could not bring the entourage, he canceled the visit. That is the fact as reported by the military spokesmen for the hospital.
Yes, I'm sure that the quality of life in Sweden, a country with little diversity (94% of the population is white evangelical Lutheran)is better than in the U.S. however be aware that they have a higher rate of suicide that we in the U.S. In fact, their suicide rate for women is double ours, 8% vs. 4%. Apparently not everything is wonderful.
The difference between Bush and Obama in the example you cited was that Bush was and is the Commander in Chief and Obama seems to think he is.
Yes, I am referring to the reaction of the majority of the German population to the nationalistic rhetoric of Adolph Hitler. They sucked it in lock, stock, and barrel, and committed atrocities that the world will never forget. Thank God that in this case, they don't get to vote. And to paraphrase a famous line, "I knew Ronald Reagan as my President, and Barack Obama is no Ronald Reagan".
John McCain said that we might have a residual military presence in Iraq for "100 years", similar to the residual forces we still have in Europe, Japan, Korea, and elsewhere in the world. That comment was dishonestly pounced on by liberals and twisted around until the original meaning was destroyed. But a smart guy like you knows that.
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