I’m sure by now my readers have seen the speech by Senator Obama on what I’ve comically referred to as “Obama - the World Tour.” Put simply - if you’ve been living under a rock - Sen. Obama went to Germany and delivered quite a nice speech. In response - US media is gushing over itself to tell everyone what a great job he did. Unlike Reagan and Kennedy, however, Sen. Obama can only give our German friends rhetoric. And unlike Reagan and Kennedy, both of whom used American exceptionalism as a model for the Germans in their time of need, Obama’s popularity is based entirely on a rejection of such exceptionalism. It is no surprise that the Germans show up to wave flags and cheer for a man who repeatedly has said America will be second to the opinion of the world.

If there was any doubt as to this, let me bring to your attention the following passage from Sen. Obama’s speech: “This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitably. Trade has been a cornerstone of our growth and global development. But we will not be able to sustain this growth if it favors the few, and not the many. Together, we must forge trade that truly rewards the work that creates wealth, with meaningful protections for our people and our planet. This is the moment for trade that is free and fair for all.”

Wow. Sent a chill up my spine. What followed was a series of further obsequious statements about the United States, and how it must stop global warming, and save the whales, and end genocide, and a myriad of other ails that Sen. Obama indirectly blamed America. But then, it came to this -

“People of Berlin - people of the world - this is our moment. This is our time.”

OUR moment? Our time?

I’m sorry - I’m confused. Will the people of Berlin be voting in the General Election? I mean - I know we’re all crazy lately with granting amnesty and welfare to like every person who illegally comes to the US - but have we unknown to me extended global voting rights in the Election in November?

And why did 200,000 Germans come out to see Obama anyways? Is Obama-worship a international phenomenon? Is ANYONE but me concerned that the Europeans love Obama so much? Why do they love him? Do they believe (as I do) that America will be placed in a subservient role under his Administration and are pleased about that prospect?

The publication Der Speigel, published an on-line analysis so glowing that - four months before American voters even decide - it appeared to call the election with its headline, “No. 44 has spoken.” Foreign desk editor Gerhard Sporl said that “anyone who saw Barack Obama at Berlin’s Siegessäule on Thursday could recognize that this man will become the 44th president of the United States,” adding “it is hard to imagine that John McCain still has any chance.”

There was one other thought I had today - how do our soldiers feel when a candidate for President of the United States is being glorified by other countries - in large part because he stands for reversing what he has repeatedly called the “unjust war”.

And a final thought - the location today - the Siegessäule - is a monument to the “wars of German unification”. I’d also point out that the the column originally stood in front of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building, but was moved by Adolf Hitler to its current location in 1939 to make way for his planned transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital “Germania.”

“The Siegessäule in Berlin was moved to where it is now by Adolf Hitler. He saw it as a symbol of German superiority and of the victorious wars against Denmark, Austria and France,” the deputy leader of the Free Democrats, Rainer Brüderle, told Bild am Sonntag.

Ooops! Well - no matter… I’m sure it was all a misunderstanding.

UPDATE (11:14 PM) : Sen. Barack Obama scrapped plans to visit wounded members of the armed forces in Germany as part of his overseas trip, a decision his spokesman said was made because the Democratic presidential candidate thought it would be inappropriate on a campaign-funded journey.

“Barack Obama is wrong. It is never inappropriate to visit our men and women in the military,” said Brian Rogers, a spokesman for Sen. McCain.

Now - as someone who used to work in a Congressional office - let me say that while I’m not familiar with all the nuances in the law since I worked in a campaign office in the 90’s… but the law was u could ALWAYS spend campaign money for the candidate to meet with people. You could never spend TAXPAYER dollars on campaign activities.

I guess since Sen. Obama got what he came for - the troops will just have to wait.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Now, I’m genuinely worried… friends.
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• Why we (Republicans) lost the election…
• The Obama Badge of Honor: Snubbing the Free Market
• When the facts matter - Democrats lose elections…