European Press Goes Mad With Obamamania
The Obama team is well aware of the complexities of managing domestic perceptions of his foreign trip and Berlin speech today. On the one hand, the risk is that it'll be seen at home as presumptuous for him to be speaking in presidential tones to foreign lands while he's still a candidate.
But the Obama campaign is also trying to accomplish a dual goal: First, and most obviously, Obama advisers hope the optics from abroad will get voters at home to feel more comfortable with him in a commander-in-chief role. And second, they hope to signal strongly that an Obama presidency would take America's relations with the rest of the world in a new and positive direction.
The European press certainly seems to believe this, if these front pages out of Germany, France, and Austria are any indication....
I'm enjoying this, although I hope he turns and hits the economy hard in swing states as soon as he's back.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
July 24, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
He needs to. Check out the latest Q-Pac polls from some key swing states:
July 14-22
COLORADO: McCain 46% - Obama 44%
MICHIGAN: Obama 46% - McCain 42%
MINNESOTA: Obama 46% - McCain 44%
WISCONSIN: Obama 50% McCain 39%
June
In June's poll, Obama lead in all four states
COLORADO: Obama 49% - McCain 44%
MICHIGAN: Obama 48% - McCain 42%
MINNESOTA: Obama 54% - McCain 37%
WISCONSIN: Obama 52% - McCain 39%
Not great news for Obama. Michigan and Wisconsin are kind of status quo. Colorado is a significant shift in McCain's direction but still within the MOE. But that Minnesota number. Is that believable? Has to be an outlier. I mean, what could have happened to cause such a huge shift in the month. The Pollster.com average for MN - which doesn't yet include this new MN poll - is Obama +16. Something is wrong with that one. The other states I can believe - although I would have liked to have see some movement in Obama's direction.
July 24, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agree with you completely - WI is fine. MI is fine too, nothing really changed there.
CO is an evenly divided state, so a couple points of mind-changing can make a big impact. The hope here is the convention helps firm it up for Obama.
But MN...Say what?! Hard to know what to make of that. I hate being the guy who says I don't believe polls, because I think we get too complacent with that. I would say that there may have been some movement back to the "mean," but I doubt this much.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
July 24, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
in another poll from yesterday obama was up by 12 in mn and 2 days ago he was up by 7 in co. these polls can drive a person crazy if you follow them everyday.................
July 24, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, because people keep forgetting that polls are really bullshit and can't be taken seriously.
They really can't. They will drive you nuts if you do take them seriously.
July 24, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
With different polls yielding results all over the graph, it is ultimately the ground operation which will deliver, and Obama's campaign is strategizing this in an unprecedented manner.
July 24, 2008 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah they are really crazy abut obama i really like the first cover
to see obama live at 1PM
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/watch-obama-live-in-germany/
July 24, 2008 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Die Presse?
I must admit I've often held similar sentiments, but I doubt even I would have the testicular fortitude to name my news paper Die Press.
snark/
July 24, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is actually German for "The Bart The."
July 24, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
"No one who speaks German can be an evil man! Parole Granted!"
July 24, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
And my all time favorite Sideshow Bob quote:
"Your guilty consciences may make you vote Democratic, but secretly you all yearn for a Republican president to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a king!"
July 24, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I do wish Der Spiegel had withheld this picture.
July 24, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, she did say he was "well-equipped" for the job ;-)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKL2304285220080723
July 24, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
O hell - that's going to become a classic.
I'm hanging mine right next to the photos of Commander CooCoo Bananas sitting at the outdoor table that is covered with empty beer bottles, yukking it up with Merkel.
And the next morning he didn't show up. And then they started issuing denials when no one had said anything. He's been drinking since he stole the election from Al Gore in 2000. He went straight off the wagon immediately. That's how he went from cocky but coherent to cocky and totally incoherent.
sorry to go OT, but I haven't had a good Bush rant in months, it seems. My isn't the president irrelevant these days? I hope he doesn't do anything idiotic to get our attention again -
July 24, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really, Tena, you think it's only booze? I have my doubts that his sensations are that singular.
July 24, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not quite sure where you are going with that, but the only thing I can speak to is the booze - I can tell by his face. I've read that the whole White House is on drugs - Colon Powell admitted something to that effect years ago.
I can also tell by about a hundred other signs that have been out there for all these years that Commander CooCoo Bananas is not and has not been sober since he moved into the White House. People who get their faces fucked up that often are drunk. You only go over your handlebars once. He's been walking into shit for years, blind drunk.
I'm utterly convinced - I've had enough experience with drunks. But others don't have to believe me.
July 24, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I believe you.
I was referring to the dope - which I am sure is also on the list of materials ingested by the mature crowd running the show.
July 25, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I always knew Barack Obama was a superhero. Now Die Tageszeitung has confirmed it.
July 24, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Those are Excellent Photos for McLame!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just love this -
July 24, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
that picture is hysterical for so many reasons.the perfect incarnation of the McAniac. did you hear out the spilled jars of applesauce in the grocery store? comedy gold.
July 25, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love that quote!
July 24, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Meant for sideshow bob "vote democratic" up above by seesmithrun:
"Your guilty consciences may make you vote Democratic, but secretly you all yearn for a Republican president to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a king!"
July 24, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone know where the speech can be viewed live?
July 24, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
cnn.com
July 24, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Huffington is going to be streaming it from CNN
July 24, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
At C-Span website, too.
July 24, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks.
July 24, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also on BO.com - http://www.barackobama.com/live/
July 24, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes. barackobama.com/live
July 24, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go to: http://my.barackobama.com/berlinvideo
July 25, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
B.E.A.UTIFUL. ABSOLUTELY.
When was the last time an American leader was treated this way in my lifetime? Hmmmm....lemme think...Hmmmmm....N.E.VER
July 24, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
B.E.A.UTIFUL. ABSOLUTELY.
When was the last time an American leader was treated this way in my lifetime? Hmmmm....lemme think...Hmmmmm....N.E.VER
July 24, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Born after 1963?
July 24, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wanna know when McCain is going to Europe. He hasn't been there in months! Months I tell ya! Sure Colombia is one of our most important trading partners (snort) but he ought to go to Europe to be greeted by throngs of adoring fans just like Obama. He can go during Oktoberfest. It's not like campaigning here is going to do him much good by then anyway.
July 24, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
SuperStar!
July 24, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Only U.S. employees may not attend since the State Department issued it's no-no for the "partisan political" event that it is. Skip that global phenomenon, cultural event thing... It hardly has the impact of Lurita Doan and a powerpoint presentation - those are must sees - and the taxpayers provide the brown bags.
July 24, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Talk about facism in Germany. Pretty ironic.
July 24, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uhh... perhaps you're not up on your current events. Fascism is illegal in Germany these days.
Too bad the same isn't true here.
(Sorry for the double post)
July 24, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barack Obama is rubbing shoulders with world leaders and talking policy, while McCain is lost in the dairy section of a local supermarket.
July 24, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where are his handlers for God's sake? He can't eat dairy. He's lactose intolerant! It'll give him gas so bad they won't be able to hear him speak at his own press conference.
July 24, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.electionprojection.com/index.shtml
July 24, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg:
The first cover by Die Tageszeitung actually says "Come down!"--not really hailing Obama. But quite typical for that leftist paper (Die Tageszeitung was founded during the 1968 movement in Germany).
Regards, Felix from Berlin, Germany
July 24, 2008 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uhh... perhaps you're not up on your current events. Fascism is illegal in Germany these days.
Too bad the same isn't true here.
July 24, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a party! I gotta get out more. . .
July 24, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have lived abroad in Europe these 16+ years and for 7 long years under this regime in Washington, it has left many of us exPats living abroad embarrassed and humiliated to call ourselves Americans openly here ...
Today, in Berlin - all that changed, I am triumphant and proud once more. Words fall short to describe my elation this evening. Thank you Barack.
(... and we got free beer on-the-house! - OK the 9 hour wait was worth it.)
July 24, 2008 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tell 'em from all of us we're back Eurorant and thanks for waiting for us.
July 24, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink