Obama's speech draws 200,000 in Berlin

by julianw | July 24, 2008 at 02:47 pm | 1291 views | 19 comments

Update | - 200,000 attended Obama's speech in Berlin, the Associated Press has updated.

Barack Obama Thursday told a vast crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin that Americans and Europeans must tear down walls between estranged allies, races and faiths, in a soaring challenge to a new political generation.

Previous | - Barack Obama drew a croud of 100,000 in Berlin today. Reactions to his speech have been mixed, however. Germany-based NowPublic contributor Markus Schlegel calls it "a disappointment."

I personally would have loved to learn more when Obama delivered his speech at the Victory Column in Berlin's Tiergarten district.

We need to tear walls down between religions, the haves and the have nots, end racism, introduce the rule of law or bring it back. Free the world of nuclear weapons.

Agreed, who in a sane mind wouldn't. How are we going to do it? No word on the path to illumination. The speech was fluffy, probably fluffier than what you should put on offer in Europe. And though rethorically full of exclamation marks, Obama's speech to the Berliners may have been flattering - but what it left seems a pink coloured question mark shaped cloud in Berlin's summer sky.

Watching from Washington, Ezra Klein sees the speech as a general victory for internationalism.

Obama's giving his much-anticipated Berlin speech even as we speak. It's a good speech, though nothing particularly revolutionary. More important than the words is the image: What looks like hundreds of thousands of Berliners, gathered in a historic square, looking expectantly at an American politician for inspiration and leadership. Our candidates frequently assert that a restoration of America's global leadership will be high on their agenda. But American leadership cannot be passed by an act of Congress, or ratified by the electoral college. It is the rest of the world that must accept our role, and for it to be worth anything, they must do so willingly. The crowd assembled in Berlin today is certainly willing.

That Obama guy has some nerve, thinks Pat Dollard.

The German flyers bear Obama’s campaign logo and say “Paid for by Obama for America.”

I’m surprised at this lapse in judgment in an otherwise well-oiled and professional Obama campaign. The last time they printed up campaign paraphenalia in a foreign language, it didn’t work out so hot for them.

So, this isn’t just some sober, high-minded foreign policy speech, part of a foreign trip occurring under the auspices of his official Senate office. It is a campaign rally occuring on foreign soil. They are using the same tactics to turn out Germans to an event as they would to any rally right here in America. This after Obama’s campaign said this:

“It is not going to be a political speech,” said a senior foreign policy adviser, who spoke to reporters on background. “When the president of the United States goes and gives a speech, it is not a political speech or a political rally.

“But he is not president of the United States,” a reporter reminded the adviser.

The sea of Germans drummed up by the Obama campaign will be used as props to tell us Americans how to vote, and the campaign isn’t trying to pretend otherwise. That’s breathtakingly arrogant, and par for the course for Barack Obama.

NowPublic contributor John E. Carey summarizes Obama's speech. Meanwhile, John McCain had planned to grab a share of Obama's media spotlight by making a speech on an oil rig in the Gulf Coast, but bad weather forced McCain to cancel his plans. What is your reaction to Obama's speech?

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zichi

at 15:32 on July 24th, 2008

sorry this is the third time I have added this comment to three very similar posts, but my own comment does not change,

At this moment of this comment, Obama has started his speech in Germany in front of a huge crowd not only Germans but many nationalities, not only young people but old folks too. The crowd is stretched way back. These people don't seem to care if Obama is a "true American" or not, they have hope that if Obama is elected it will bring America back to a better international light, a new relationship with Europe based on true friendship and mutual understandings without the former slogan of Bush, "you are with us! or against us!"

To be able to do what is not only good for America, or Europe but for the whole world. A global citizenship and cooperation for a common humanity. It looks more like an "Obama Fest" than a politician giving a speech. Obama talks about tearing down walls which divide people. People are cheering and clapping loudly. His speech is polished, well performed natural.

US has no better partner than Europe. Its a beautiful sunny day. With the warmth of the sun brings hope. To build a world without nuclear weapons. A peace of the world without nuclear weapons. Reject the cold war mindset which belongs in the past. Obama calls for free and fair trade.

Obama says we should help the Iraqi people and withdraw the troops. We must come together and save the planet, protect the environment. Never again in Darfur! We reject torture and stand for the law of the land. Equality for all people. People of the world is the moment, our moment. I love America!

Thank you Berlin! God Bless You!

SOLARLIFE

at 05:00 on July 25th, 2008

zichi, I agree with your excellent summary, only Europe and the US can turn the wheel of life, means save the planet. Europe has longterm investment money the Euro, strong knowledge in environment renewable de-central technology, America could stop the plunging Dollar, industrializing green technology, war is no biz tool, the galon petrol now $4 before war $1. Well I forgot the world leaders in starting solar PV Japan, Kyocera.

zichi

at 05:10 on July 25th, 2008

well thanx, but those were the words of Obama, but anyway, I agree too! But is Obama the man to do it? First the Americans will have to elect him and then we will discover his truth? In Japan, yes, the government is starting to give grants again for installing solar panels but even at todays cost it would still take more than 50 years to get the investment back, so in my own case, due to my age, it would not be worth installing solar panels. But I have more than 30 years of carbon credits because next year will be 30 years since I last owned or drove a car, that's a whole load of pollution and dollar saved!

zichi

at 15:34 on July 24th, 2008

good stuff:

julianw, I like this story. It's good stuff.

almost forgot the flag, again!

joannajimenez

at 17:35 on July 24th, 2008

Today's speech was amazing, if not for its content than for its presentation. There was an open call put out for a free speech in a public park and 100,000 citizens showed up and watched him for free. They even sold beer to the crowd. In America you would never see this. It was such a showing of peaceful society participating in a polititian's self promotion that we haven't seen in the US since the Assassination of Bobby Kennedy. Not since the Kennedy's and probably never again in America will we see what I participated in today. There are no guns allowed in Germany. I understand that it is even against the law to carry a pocket knife. Barak Obama could stand in the open air and say whatever the hell he wanted without fear for his personal safety. After today, I felt like Germany was a great place.

René

at 05:32 on July 25th, 2008

OMG, she was in Germany! from L.A.? NP's been invaded by....

V_rod218813

at 17:42 on July 24th, 2008

good stuff:

julianw, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Amazing!

tpoge

at 20:39 on July 24th, 2008

The autocade from Barack Obama at the Wilhelmstreet in Berlin/Germany.

tpoge has contributed a photo to this story.

BAH (not verified)

at 21:48 on July 24th, 2008

I saw the newsreels of the Hitler speeches. Looked sort of similar. He didn't really say a hell of a lot that was worth while either!

K. A. (not verified)

at 05:38 on July 25th, 2008

Why did you pick Hitler, from the many other figures in our past who have made positive changes? Are you seriously trying to draw a correlation between the two men? Seems melodramatic -- and HIGHLY off any possible mark.

acwBerlin

at 02:00 on July 25th, 2008

The feeling in the Tiergarten in Berlin is like the one during the Loveparade - very festival-like ..

acwBerlin has contributed a photo to this story.

Paschen

at 04:09 on July 25th, 2008

good stuff:

julianw, I like this story. It's good stuff.

joannajimenez

at 04:41 on July 25th, 2008

germans might not think this speech is revolutionary, but given what Americans have now it is! Bush is a fascist.

polskaperson

at 04:58 on July 25th, 2008

Historical moment. Obama measured very well his words in a way that would not sound neither too harsh, neither too soft for the Europeans and at the same time, showing back home that he's prepared to the international burden that an American President will go through.

polskaperson has contributed a photo to this story.

SOLARLIFE

at 05:01 on July 25th, 2008

good stuff:

julianw, I like this story. Good overview

René

at 05:35 on July 25th, 2008

good stuff:

julianw, I like this story. It's an interesting roundup.

lesurze

at 06:55 on July 25th, 2008

I was idling reading in a bar when my father started a series of text messages urging to go see Barack Obama. Not wanting to disappoint, and feeling curious (I've never seen a president or presidential contender), I rushed home, grabbed my bike and managed to make it to Tiergarten within 20 minutes, despite getting lost during my "shortcut". I caught the last half. He's the one who looks like a dot if you magnify the photo with future alien technology. I was quite excited, actually. Everyone seemed to be, even the people serving the bratwurst. I weirdly met one of the lovely Sarah's of my bar as I cycled back. "Isn't he great?!" she enthused. Very impressive, I told her. She then gave me a detailed breakdown of the flaws in his speech. I didn't tell her that I did not really hear much of it. There was a bit of a rock concert feel to it. Some friends here have commented that he seemed to focus a lot on history that is very obvious here, that the evocation of Soviet Panzers was risky. But as I just told a friend, he could have said he was going to rip all the clothes off Merkel and cover her in jam and people would have still cheered for him after Bush. (Actually, they probably would have liked him to rip all the clothes off Merkel and cover her in jam.) And his speech was obviously largely targeted for an American audience seeing clips on the news, which is fair enough. I certainly don't see him as some kind of saviour, but I definitely would prefer to see him elected than McCain. What did you do for democracy today, beatniks?

Edit: I should add that his delivery was impressive. Nice site.

lesurze has contributed a photo to this story.

storebukkebruse

at 07:20 on July 25th, 2008

Watched Barack Obama's speech live on my pc and made this snap-shot. Wish I had been there.
He adressed "The people of Berlin, the people of the World" and made a bridge from the airbridge after World War II to the cooperation now between Europe and the US.
This man is clever. The world needs somebody clever in the White House!

storebukkebruse has contributed a photo to this story.

unlike.net

at 11:46 on July 25th, 2008

Did Obama’s “Yes, we can!” replace “Ich bin ein Berliner” to become the new catchphrase of the millennium? Nope. But in order celebrate Obama’s speech in our humble city, we take a look back at the other U.S. presidential highlights—Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush—of Berlin’s tumultuous past.
http://berlin.unlike.net/guides/150022-Fit-for-a-President