Germany is all abuzz today as Obama prepares to speak in Berlin. He is on the cover of magazines such as Der Spiegel and Stern. The Sueddeutsche Zeitung is chronicling his every move throughout the day. The televised pre-game show began hours ago.
He will be speaking in front of the Siegessäule, a good 2 km away from the Brandenburger Gate, his first choice of venue. This move was supposedly to appease Merkel, who was not happy with Obama’s first location choice. As much as I love Obama, I too found myself questioning the idea of this speech. Presidential performances in Berlin are the stuff of legends, but Obama isn’t exactly president yet. Why is he trying to trick me into believing he is?
Regardless of my initial skepticism, today I find myself eagerly anticipating this evening’s speech. I hope it will be gorgeous. Legendary, even.
Earlier this afternoon a reporter in Berlin asked his interviewee, “So, what’s the German sentence going to be?” Good question, no? “Ich bin ein Berliner” has already been taken. “Ja, wir können” seems a little too obvious. So what do you think it should be?
ETA (18:45): Wow, look at that crowd! I do believe that it extends all the way to the Brandenburger Gate itself…
ETA (19:14): The crowd is estimated at 100,000 or more. The German commentators keep saying how surprised they are that this reception is for a politician (and an American one at that) and not a rock star.
ETA (20:02): Loved it. It’s hard to decide which channel’s commentary to watch (the speech was on at least 6). We watched the speech itself on CNN to avoid the simultaneous translation.
According to Dialog International, the phrase is going to be “Ich kann zuhören!” We’ll see if that’s right.
Interesting! I wonder how he’ll do with the umlaut. 🙂
The US news isn’t reporting whether he used a German phrase: what did it turn out to be?
Alas, he didn’t use any.
I hope so too. Wish I could be there to see it. I will have to watch the Tageshau to get the German perspective.
Curious whether the rapturous reception will help or hinder him back in the US.
PS I put a link to your blog on my blog.
olli
Why they’re not happy with the first choice? What was it? I do not know much of German history.
I think Obama wants people to think he’s a President already. Don’t candidates usually focus more in US, than going overseas for speech?
Bluefish: Just my humble opinion but I think Obama came here to give himself foreign policy credentials. His opponent, at least by opinion in the US, seemingly has more foreign policy experience.
Pecos Blue – can you watch the Tagesschau in the US? That’s cool!
Olli – yeah, my dad already sent me a link to some American saying “Stupid Obama thinks he’s running for president of Europe.” God forbid the US have good relationships abroad! Also, although I know we weren’t the main target market for this speech, there are millions of US voters living abroad. It was nice to feel included in this campaign.
Thanks for the link!
I heard a McCain spokesperson today say (derisively) that this is Obama’s “first trip to Germany” and how can he possibly understand world affairs if he’s never been to Europe. I think that this guy forgot that 1) Obama was raised partially outside the US and 2) the current Republican president had only left the U.S. to go to brothels in Mexican border towns when they elected him.
Anyhoo. Just wanted to get that irritant off my chest.
Bluefish – the Brandenburger Gate is an important feature of the Berlin landscape. Historically, it was right along the Wall, and was seen as a symbol of the division between East and West. Ronald Regan gave a famous speech in front of it during his presidency, and Kennedy was photographed at the gate while in Berlin for his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. I suppose Merkel found it an inappropriate location for an American campaign speech. Perhaps she didn’t want to appear to be taking sides in the election.
Yelli – I agree, I think this trip was designed to demonstrate Obama’s reception abroad / ability to work with world leaders.
A Free Man – did you happen to catch McCain’s counter-programming activity? I laughed out loud when I saw the headline: McCain Visits German Restaurant
And need we be reminded that McCain thinks Putin is the president of Germany?
I’ve read a little of the post-speech reporting. Frankly, I was a little disappointed with prominence of the wall metaphor: it was a little obvious, and the thing’s been gone for quite some time. If he was looking for local content, he could have went with “We’re all of us linked: a bratwurst chain of peoples and beliefs…”
Then again, it’s probably best I never became a speechwriter…
Mark – it’s a good start, but he’d risk alienating the vegetarian constituency. Can’t have that! 🙂
Someone did ‘baah’ like a goat in the crowd. I thought that was memorable.
Perhaps he could worked in something about cabbage. Cabbage is unites countries.
Whatever I loved it.
I’m going back to bed. My grammar sucks today. 🙂
“Cabbage unites countries!”
I love it. 🙂
Bring on the Liberty Cabbage.