Obama speech at the Victory Column in Berlin- LIVE THREAD

Various | 24 July 2008

[SE Mom]

Obama is scheduled to speak in Berlin at the Victory Column sometime between 1 and 1:30 Eastern.

All cable networks will cover the speech, live.

[SE Mom]

Have at it...

[Izzy Dunne]

He’s going to seek an apology for the Germans’ bombing of Pearl Harbor.

[SE Mom]

ping

[blau993]

Ich Bien Ein Beginner!

[Miss Didi]

Did you hear, Mom, that Barry skipped a visit with injured American military for a session at the gym? Hoops over troops for Barry...what a jerk.

[don-o]

If Chrissy got leg tingles before, he’s gonna have a case of the vapors over this ‘un.

[tiredoflaundry]

I'm getting fat eating all this popcorn lately! ;0)

[SE Mom]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/24/obama.speech/index.html

~snip~

“The people in the crowd aren’t voters so in that sense it’s not designed to get them to the polls. It’s not a political rally,” he said aboard his flight to the German capital. “Hopefully, it will be viewed as a substantive articulation of the relationship I’d like to see between the United States and Europe.”

...

Berliners were getting ready early for Obama’s address, setting up food stalls and entertainment platforms along an avenue near the site of the event.

A huge crowd gathered at the Victory Column, the site of Obama’s speech, as musicals acts performed in the hours leading up to Obama’s arrival.

Obama volunteers set up shop on street corners and were registering Democrats who live abroad to vote.

“Anyone an American citizen?” bellowed one woman holding a homemade “register to vote” sign.

Some in the crowd were looking to cash in on the Obama frenzy. For 5 euros (about $8), one could pick up two unofficial Obama buttons.

One button that seemed popular among shoppers had a picture of him superimposed with President Kennedy. Another had Obama’s head atop the body of a beer garden waiter holding seven huge glasses of German brew. The button’s slogan said “Obamafest.”

Obama said Thursday his speech will not be “a wonkish policy speech.”
...

“I think the world is keenly interested in this election, and I think they’re hungry for a sense of where America is going,” he said.

[isrul]

I thought he was going to apologize for the US nuking Berlin.

[JennysCool]

All cable networks will cover the speech, live.

I certainly hope this will be considered a campaign donation on the part of the networks, as it should be.

And by the way, has anyone adequately explained the choice of Berlin for this speech, other than Barack's ego needing the Kennedy comparisons?

[gathersnomoss]

Teleprompter announcement. The Messiah has spoken.

[Red in Blue PA]

This really should be a National Holiday so we can all watch.

[rawhide]

Rush has mentioned that from what he can see, it is not well attended. The crowd is not overwhelming.

[retrokitten]

Switch to the mini-bags! ;-)

[gathersnomoss]

Did Slash also perform?

[Miss Didi]

“Anyone an American citizen?” bellowed one woman holding a homemade “register to vote” sign.

Oh, that sounds legal. (rolling eyes)

[tumblindice]

And the Bavarian Death March, that’s a day that will live in infantry

[TNCMAXQ]

All the news nets or the broadcast ones too?? Hard to believe they would pre-empt the soaps for this. There will be millions of angry viewers. At some point I think a lot of voters will consider this adoration for BO to be overdone.

[SF Republican]

Heard on Obamas NPR radio station they expected 1,000s I guess they are trying to play down the attendance already.

[Miss Didi]

When Rush played clips of Ronaldus Magnus I got chills and teary-eyed.