barack obama is an absolute gift.

We're talking Germans here. Historically not the best judge of leadership.

The crowd assembled in Berlin today is certainly willing.

You can't make this claim. This crowd is willing to cheer Obama, the candidate. They are willing to cheer when he says he is a world citizen, and when he says America is imperfect.
Are they really willing to accept our leadership?

Don't leave out a very important symbolic point: American flags were being waved throughout the crowd.

Are they really willing to accept our leadership?

We won't know until the new president visits Andrea Merkel and demands that she "Kneel before Zod."

I attended the speech. The Germans were rapt with attention. I asked the man next to me, are you Germans really so enthralled with what Obama has to say?

He said, "Nein, nein, we're just waiting for the verb."

(Or at least this would have happened if Obama had been speaking in German.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_freedoms
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want--which, translated into universal terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants-everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world.

About 70,000 people there and 1/4-1/3 U.S. folks. No German would bring out a U.S. flag ...

jacqueline is an absolute farce

Have you been drinking with Bob Novak.

You have been an idiot the last few days.

You go to Germany and say something revolutionary. We'll see how many votes you get.

Listen, Drunky, and you poster that claims Germany may not want to be lead by America.

He was talking about us taking over and doing are part. And Germany will be involved and obviously wants to be.

Who the F*&K cares who is called a leader.

He is not going to solve everything in a speech. Hope you drunks would get that.

Maybe you should try listening to him instead of your idiot blogger leaders.

Obama has no business being in Germany. The trip to Iraq and Afghanistan made sense for obvious reasons - but what is he doing in Europe? And holding political rallies? There is no purpose. Nobody is going to care that a bunch of Germans love the guy.

Don't look now but Obama is blowing an election that should have been a gimme.

jeebus

the reason for going to germany, is to build bridges that have been destroyed by years of a regressive, repressive, xenophobic, anti-intellectual administration.
today, should have been a breath of fresh air and freedom for any half-sentient person ..to see an american leader approaching the people of other nations with an extended hand in the spirit of global cooperation, instead of an arrogant swagger, growing obese on freedom fries and pouring french champagne in the streets.

and to the commenter, "everyone"

your personal attack and negativity is the force that keeps us sunk back in the dark ages we have descended into.
embittered, negative thinking that makes the work so much harder.
those that spread hate and ridicule will always be present.
you are in the world to make the work of angels much harder, and there must be some reason for it.
but we will continue to work for the good and for enlightenment, in spite of people and spirits like you.
you cast a dark shadow.
sorry for you.

The Siegessäule monument
is a symbol of repression, dominance and military conquest. Erected by Hitler to show germanic power over lower peoples. Funny Barack didn't know Hitler wasn't big on post-national world of mutual love, respect and cooperation.

Why couldn't he be more like Bush and just give the crowd a back rub?

And you have to love the righties sad desperation to accuse an American leader of actively seeking new alliances to fight terror and poverty.
The horror!

I love both Barack and Chris Mathews, who has a perpetual hardon for barack, or at least a shaky leg, thinks America doesn't have enough humility.

Perhaps we should show that humility more, like why would we ever think Americans could travel across the Atlantic ocean and defeat the Nazis, we should have just stayed home.

Why would we ever think we could raise a Navy to take on and defeat the Japanese? We should have just stayed home.

Why did we have the arrogance to think we could beat the Soviets to putting a man on the moon, or defeating the Soviet Union.

Barack and mathews don't understand that if we act - Europe hates us and if we don't act Europe hates us, not because of our abiltiies because of the sorry state of their own abailities.

"""the reason for going to germany, is to build bridges that have been destroyed by years of a regressive, repressive, xenophobic, anti-intellectual administration"""

Actually, the leader of Germany has been very supportive of Bush and his policies, as have Britian, France and Italy. Perhaps you should actually read some news....

The leaders might be supportive of Bush -- not the people.

Big difference.