German Government Denies Bush Administration Nixed Brandenburg Gate Speech, But...
The story of the potential Obama speech at Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate just gets stranger by the minute.
Here's the latest: Reuters is now reporting that the German government adamantly denys that the Bush administration put any back-channel pressure of any kind on Chancellor Angela Merkel to block the speech from happening. The Associated Press adds that Merkel says Germany will be able to work out its differences with Obama over this.
But Reuters adds a key detail, reporting that she still opposes the idea...
Merkel's spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said the Illinois senator was welcome in Berlin even if details of his visit are still unclear. He said, however, that Merkel had not dropped her objections to Obama speaking at the Brandenburg Gate.
Why the objection? Reuters says that Merkel doesn't want to see the Gate used for "electioneering," and called the idea "odd."
Perhaps no American official tried to nix the idea privately. But the fact is, we now know that one American official expressed his hostility to the idea on the record. Does the Bush administration have an official position on this, and does it have anything to do with Merkel's coolness to the idea? Weirder and weirder...
All this attention to this nontroversy may stop Obama from making his speech there. Too bad.
July 11, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know... The Bush administration's objections and meddling may have given him the green light to speak there. People really don't like that Bush character for some reason and they don't normally mind people going against his wishes.
July 11, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the most likely explanation is that the Germans are lying.
July 11, 2008 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have mixed feelings about the speech - it may be a bit bold. But either way, this is a weirrrrrrd story.
July 11, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Odd it certainly is. Things seem to get odd every time Bush and Merkel get together. Remember the big summit a couple of years ago when Bush was photographed rubbing her shoulders and drinking beer with her? Remember how he failed to show up for the morning sessions and they started releasing statements: First they said he was sick, then they said he was ok, but overslept and not he was not hungerover and no one had accused him of it?
They're drinking buds - Bush and Merkel.
I'm convinced that the reason Bush is so very incoherent and belligerent is because he started drinking again right after he stole the election in 2000. That falling off the couch eating pretzels bullshit was just that - bullshit.
July 11, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
They may be drinking buds, but she CLEARLY was creeped out by his massage attempt.
You don't try to give a country's leader a back massage. Especially if she's German -- I don't think they enjoy casual friendly touching from people they barely know.
July 11, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glad someone else has noticed the many 'interesting' events which would lead one to believe he was drinking. recall the trying to open the locked door at a press conference abroad incident. not to mention the recent 'goodbye from the world's biggest polluter' joke just smacks of a someone who's had a few too many.
July 11, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mebbe he could do it here instead . . .
July 11, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama campaign just responded to the WSJ story on the reported $30 million haul:
http://thepage.time.com
July 11, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great news, hopefully.
July 11, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Slink, with all the talk about fundraising expectations not being met, do you think it's possible Obama was gaming expectations?
It sounds optimistic, but I doubt it - they wouldn't have bothered responding to the Journal this morning if so.
More likely it was off by a few million, and they are upset with the notion of it being called "underwhelming."
July 11, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's probably $35 or $38 million. That's my best guess at the moment.
July 11, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes but again, it is up to the mayor of Berlin, not up to Angela Merkel...
July 11, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has the Obama camp issued any statement regarding this? I doubt if they could care less. One of the staff probably floated the idea of speaking at the Brandenberg Gate and simply inquired as to whether it would be possible.
As to reports that they are worried about riling McCain should he be elected, Germany is an economic powerhouse. Having amicable relations with the U.S. makes good business sense but they don't have to kiss anybody's ass. Case in point, their opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Then again, as someone mentioned, perhaps Merkel was less repulsed by that shoulder rub than I was watching it.
July 11, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have mixed feelings myself. I can understand Merkel's objection. On the other hand the idea of the Bush administration interfering in Obama's campaign is nothing short of disgusting.
July 11, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's not Merkel's call at any rate. The Republicans are going to be pissed if Obama gets a good reception in Germany, period, so their hand-wringing over the location is juvenile.
July 11, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
A little history on a TGIF... enjoy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eTQY1Aw9zcs
July 11, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a big Obama supporter but I don't think he should be campaigning in foreign countries. If he wants to pay a visit to Iraq, or Germany, etc., that's certainly understandable.
However, to make a campaign speech in a foreign country doesn't seem appropriate to me. There are a lot of communities in America that would absolutely love to host any speech of his. He'll have plenty of time as President, acting as the country's pre-eminent ambassador, to make speeches in other countries.
July 11, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. I don't think it's appropriate for Obama to campaign like that on foreign soil. And from Merkel's POV, I don't think it's in the best interests of her country to host a campaign rally for a foreign candidate.
July 11, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with both those observations. The more I think about it, the more I'm not hot about the brandenberg gate idea. He would be better off doing a speech there when he is president, not now. It just seems kind of presumptuous and I don't think the average voter is going to like this idea. I think he should just do the tour and not any rallies or big speeches.
July 11, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
couldn't disagree more. a major part of his appeal is that he could help repair our relationships with the rest of the world. If the German people will welcome him, then why shouldn't he speak to them? It would be a hell of a statement that a junior senator running for office is more well received than the current prez. it's not much different than mccain's photo-op in columbia except there was no way a crowd would show up to hear mccain speak.
July 11, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is hugely popular in europe. Don't you think his motorcade will be swamped whereever he goes? Don't you think that is enough seeing the throngs of people? I do. At a minimum if he wants to do a speech, don't do it at the gate. Do it elsewhere. Unfortunately, this dust up is playing into the republicans hands, once again. It just seems very presumptuous to me that the gate is being considered.
July 11, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
why is the gate presumptuous?
July 11, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because of the history. He is only the dem nominee, he is not president of the US. I would save a big speech at the gate for when he visits germany as pres.
July 11, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I understand. I still disagree but I do understand where you're coming from now. I think a part of Obama's strength is that he is not a traditional candidate in many senses and while this would certainly be a high risk-reward scenario, I think it also is a very non-traditional act which suits him and his campaign themes well. But I can certainly see your concerns about it and the possibility of it backfiring on him. I think I like it because it's ballsy but not in a dumb W way. I guess it's ballsy because it's so presumptuous. I just think it could really work because Americans could see him there and if only for a moment fully grasp what a difference he could make in changing our relationship with the rest of the world if elected as president. I think imagery does matter in a campaign and I think it would be a powerful thing for people to see. But I completely agree that it could really piss off a lot of people and make mccain seem 'safer' since he wouldn't be prone to rocking the boat and doing anything so unconventional.
July 11, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama should proudly give the speech in front of the Brandendurg Gate. It would signal to Americans and the world that he intends to bring the US back from the brink. And it would be an enormous middle finger to George W. and Cheney.
July 11, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
He ought to give a speech in front of the Lincoln memorial. Now THAT would be symbolism. Equality, Constitution, civil rights, all rolled into one. But I guess that's been done before by someone else....
July 11, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he should give the speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate with full panoply: streamers, fireworks, brass bands, and cheering multitudes. If he wants to behave as though the election for King of the World were already over, let him. It's his to lose anyway.
July 11, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
lets see mccain be able to give a speech in germany. it would be a horrible experience. the bush administration should just stay out of the presidential race unless he hurting mccain in some way.
McCain lies about voting record for veterans
July 11, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Part of the necessity of electing Obama is the signal it sends the rest of the world is that we are going stop being a rogue nation. How else are Americans going to get a feel for that but in reactions to (admittedly risky) gestures like this?
July 11, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anybody really believe that the Bush Admin has no hand in this? The Bushies are truly fearful of the tremendous welcoming response that Obama would get in Germany as compared to absolute disgust the German people have for Bush.
July 11, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama seems to be going out his way to piss off a key ally even before he gets into office. This just calls attention to the fact that he is totally inexperienced in foreign affairs and will make a ton of silly, unnecessary mistakes like this that could cause some serious damage. The Germans and French are super-sensitive to Americans pushing them around and that is what he is doing by getting involved in their politics.
The proper thing to do was to contact all German officials concerned and 'ask' them if holding a political rally in their country in front of an important national symbol (especially to Merkel probably) would be a problem before talking to the media about it. By doing the asking via the media is clumsy and somewhat stupid way of handling things. It puts the Germans, if they have any misgivings about the event, in an awkward position. Merkel has a right to be somewhat miffed. We wouldn't think it was appropriate for the political leader in Germany to have a political rally around the WWII Memorial would we?
Further, will the event in Germany use torches and banners left over from the 1930s to save money?
And since Obama slammed Americans for going to Europe and not speaking their languages will he give the speech in German? He probably is not aware that most Europeans know English and are happy to use it most of the time (I spent 3 weeks traveling in France and had ZERO problems with communicating with the wonderful French people I met) and it is somewhat of a burden on Americans to have to learn French, Czech, Polish, German, Italian, and Spanish to list a few when traveling to Europe. He is probably fluent in all these and thinks everyone else should be too.
July 13, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
The truth is that the Bradenberg Gate gets used all the time, for all kinds of things:
Fulan Gang Protest at Gate
Talk to any German about this, they will tell you that these kinds of things are a frequent, almost daily occurance.
This is just an attempt by Bush's attack poodle, Merkel, to help McCain. Why not give a speech in a foreign country? One of the things many of us would to see the next President do is heal the damaged relations with our allies. Remember "Freedom Fries" and "Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys"? What better way to show the ability to do that than to demonstrate your popularity overseas.
July 23, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink