The Pied Piper Comes to Berlin

"Obama! Obama!"


The much-anticipated Obama speech at the Winged Victory Column in Berlin has now taken place in front of 200,000 Germans. Quite a spectacle by all accounts. The crowd was ecstatic and wildly cheering. They chanted his name, "Obama! Obama!". Young girls swooned, and mothers held their babies up in their air. The candidate put on one of his great stemwinder speeches. His oratory was flowing. The words rang out to the heavens. He referred to himself as a proud American and a fellow "citizen of the World". He talked of bridging the divides between peoples. He talked of fighting global warming. He talked of saving the farmlands from Kansas to Kenya. He.....

Basically, he said nothing. But he said it so beautifully.

"People of Berlin! People of the World! This is the moment! Our time has come!"

So now, the Germans, to be followed in short order by the French and the Brits, are showing their love for "Obama the Great" and telling us rube Americans who they want to be our next president.

But those Europeans are supposed to be so.....sophisticated. Surely, they would see through the empty rhetoric and the generalities. "Where's the beef", they would say. "What specifically are you going to do?" The Germans, especially, have historical experience with stirring speakers who only lead the country.....well, you know what I mean. (No, I am not suggesting for one moment that Obama is another Hitler. What I am saying is that a great speaker is ....a great speaker, period.)
But I am obviously naive. Obama is clearly Europe's sweetheart-especially since he is a "Citizen of the World".

But I sure do take issue with Obama's statement that he came to Berlin not as part of a campaign. Nonsense. Setting up an outdoor event designed to draw 200,000 people is a campaign event-even if no one in the crowd was eligible to vote. This was clearly designed to show the folks back home that everyone in the World will love America again-if only Obama is our president.

What brazen arrogance. Aside from convincing me that he is an empty suit politician who lacks the experience and judgement to be president, now he has demonstrated that he is a megalomaniac. He has taken his case out of America and to other countries-over the heads of the American people in a sense.

And who are his accomplices? For one, the Mainstream Media that chose to send their three network anchors along to document and record this "historic" voyage by one "citizen".

The other accomplices are the Europeans, who have been so hoodwinked by the charisma of this candidate that they provide a backdrop for this cynical campaign.

Perhaps a more sober evaluation comes from Israelis, who are not wholly convinced that Obama will take their side vis-a vis the Palestinians. Before jetting to Germany, Obama made an early morning appearance at Jerusalem's Western Wall, where at least one protestor shouted out, "Jerusalem is not for sale, Obama".

Final note: It was reported on one talk show today that "Obama the Great" cancelled a scheduled stop at a US Military base in Germany to visit soldiers while adding two more hours to his German stop in order to catch a gym workout at the Ritz Hotel. (I cannot vouch for the accuracy of that report.)