Comments (17)

phillayton :
I think the German people would be kidding themselves if they thought that there would be an American president which would put their needs in front of the needs of the American people don't you? Not a particular relevant point to make.

Just look at Zzim - country's at its lowest ebb both financially AND in its foreign policy since anyone can remember, yet he is worrying about the next four years! Don't worry about the next four years pal, it can't get any worse than it is.
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Hey Phillayton, I just reread my post. I don't see where I expressed any worry. I said it would be interesting watching Obamania fade away quickly and completely as Obama is forced to take actual actions - as opposed to selling fuzzy feel-good breeziness.

I work for a government contractor - I'll be even more financially secure under an Obama administration that otherwise, i have no worries for myself & my family. Most of the people who suffer and die for Obama's mistakes won't be Americans, so I'm not worried for America or Americans. Obama can't really do all that much damage in 4 years. At least not to the country. He can destroy European Obamaphilia, though - and I don't see any reason why that should worry me.

Oh, and as for your initial point. Obama will prioritize: Obama, Voters, America, Foreigners.

I think the German people would be kidding themselves if they thought that there would be an American president which would put their needs in front of the needs of the American people don't you? Not a particular relevant point to make.

I can say one thing for Obama - he won't presume to try and give the German chancellor a shoulder massage. Maybe the Germans are happy to have someone in the position of president with some common sense - an impossible attribute for a neo conservative. Just look at Zzim - country's at its lowest ebb both financially AND in its foreign policy since anyone can remember, yet he is worrying about the next four years! Don't worry about the next four years pal, it can't get any worse than it is.

Point Number 1:

I think this article is condescending and stupid. The basic premise is that Germans should not support Obama because he is far more conversative than the German populous: therefore, they should support McCain who is even more right wing. Does that make any sense?

Of course not.

Point number 2:

The German people are very educated and most of them can speak and read English very, very well. I am an American and spend lots of time in Germany each year and find this article absolutely embarrassing; some of the comments are even more retarded.

Please, please try to write intelligent things about our allies. It is a real drag when we visit foreign countries and they treat us like idiots because they've read articles like this in the post.

Thanks in advance.

When in the navy, I visited Germany in 1966. The current feeling for Obama reminds me of how they then felt about Kennedy. The one thing many Germans at the time wanted from Americans was Kennedy half dollars.

Mr. Harsch.

I'm German.
And I'm fired up by the American Votes.
Since march I barely watch other TV Channels than CNN.

So don't tell me I "have not bothered diving into the 'details' of foreign policy". I know a lot about Ombama policies.

Global problems need global solutions and a strong global leader.

We are convinced that Mr. Obama - with his intelligence, his judgement, his common sense and his ability to carry people is the perfect man for the job.

Yes. Some of his policy will hurt us in future. But nobody is expecting that a better and safer future will be achieved without concerted efforts.

sincerely ... Michael

Yonkers, New York
11 October 2008

Mr. Harsch:

I find your essay quite interesting and fairly objective.

I can understand why millions of Germans are now afflicted with what is being characterized as "Obamamania." They are simply fed up with George W Bush who has pretty much succeeded in bringing America a lot of grief, global resentment and hatred, and ruin because of his arrogant, hubristic and reckless ways.

The way the political situation in the United States is developing, with Mr. Obama enjoying a 49-42 lead over John McCain in the national polls, Mr.Obama will very likely be the next President of the United States--and not Mr. McCain whose presidency will tragically only be an extension of Mr. Bush's failed 8 years.

The American people and the whole world can expect things to get better,immensely better, under a Barack Obama presidency.

There will be none of the Texxas cowboy-style swaggering and blustering on the world stage. Nobody will simply be told what to do. Mr. Obama strongly believes that cooperation and collaboration work better than dictation, unilateralism and preemption--and that will be a hallmark of a presidency which calls for "Change We Can Believe In," and "Change We Need."

Mariano Patalinjug
MarPatalinjug@aol.com

Whatever American like, Germans like.. Cars & Levis.. They are going for trend instead sound discernment of the matter.
And if they would know, what Americans are questioning about Obama..
They would really be suprised.
Don't judge a book by its cover..its not what you think.. and they way he operates is just a image display of attraction & can affect the world.
This is serious..

Mr. Harsch,

first of all I am somewhat surprised at the rude tone of previous comments. I don't think that's the appropriate way to have a constructive conversation, even if we disagree on certain issues.

Germans and probably a huge majority of people all over the world understand that Barack Obama is one of the few US politicians (even of his own party) who had the courage to stand up against the war in Iraq from the beginning, i.e. at a time when it was absolutely not politically opportune to do so. In addition to that, Mr. Obama has made it very clear during his presidential campaign that he intends to strengthen diplomacy, strengthen the United Nations and strengthen multilateral efforts to solve the urgent problems of a globalized world in the 21st century. He has spoken out on these issues as few other political leaders have done, and that is an important reason for the enthusiastic support he enjoys in Germany, in Europe and all around the world.

The fact that, as candidate for the presidency of the United States, he cannot put any options "off the table" when it comes to dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions or with Afghanistan and Pakistan, doesn't undermine his clear message of putting diplomacy first and working to open new paths to really solve problems and to de-escalate conflicts (e.g. by direct talks not only to friends, but also to "enemies"), rather than to escalate them as has been the case over the last eight years - with the net result that virtually none of the major problems have been solved and many new problems have been created.

Mr. Obama seems to understand that engaging in unnecessary, illegal wars based on lies (towards the American people as well as the international community) and spending a trillion dollar or more on that doesn't make America any safer or stronger. And he has successfully communicated that to the American public.

I also have to strongly disagree with one of the previous comments that called Obama "more conservative than the most conservative member of the Christian Democratic Union" (i.e. the German conservative party). Have you, @Havisham, already forgotten that our current chancelor Mrs. Merkel, which is the leader of that party, supported Mr. Bush's invasion of Iraq (including a trip to the White House in fall 2002, just before the German parliamentary election, when Mrs. Merkel lost to then-chancelor Gerhard Schröder, from the Social Democrats, who opposed the war in Iraq) and would probably have sent German troops there???

And when you have a look at Mr. Obama's domestic policies, his agenda is, without any doubt, far more progressive than what we have seen from both of the major German parties over the last decade. Mr. Obama has been calling for an end to neoliberal, deregulatory, privatization and tax-cuts-for-the-rich-and-powerful policies for years, whereas the major German parties basically continue to defend this totally failed ideology till the present day. And just to mention another example: Since when is the Christian Democratic Union in favor of total equality for homo- and heterosexual couples? We are having civil unions for gay couples in Germany, but those couples have to carry all the compromise and still don't enjoy equal rights when it comes to taxes, retirement benefits and so on. Mr. Obama, for his part, is a strong supporter of civil unions that are legally absolutely equal to traditional marriage.

So, I would say that Germans and Europeans are indeed longing for someone who, judging from his biography, his record and his policy proposals, stands for a fundamental change of direction in America and in the world, towards social progress and a stronger international cooperation. And that's why they are so much in favor of Senator Obama.

I would first vote for a steaming pile of monkey dung before I would vote for anyone who has voted with our current disaster in chief,90% of the time.--. It still amazes me this "complete failure and country destroyer" made it in 2 terms. I still stand by my thoughts on people who voted for bush--They are either very rich,or,they are very stupid. God help our country.

"What is perplexing about this is that most Germans would vote for Obama, even though they do not share many of his policy positions. If he were to implement large parts of his foreign and security agenda, it could quickly turn him unpopular in Germany."

I guess Obamabots are dumb anywhere the exist in the planet.

Mr. Harsch you really don't get it - we Europeans are not as naive as you think. People here know exactly that Obama is and will not be european style liberal. Most Obama supporters are completely aware of his positions in respect of Afghanistan and Pakistan - newspapers in Europe are extensively covering this election cycle and quite a lot of people are surfing the american media- and blogosphere (whereas you will not find a lot of Americans having any firsthand information about Europe.)
Some years ago, when Bush hatred was on its climax, many Americans (and even Europeans) identified this as anti-americanism. So why is nobody interpreting Obamania as pro-american sentiment? The enthusiasm for a possible (if not probable) soon-to-be leader of a foreign country is a clear sign that a vast majority of Europeans are keen on having a renewed and improved relationship with the US. Europeans admire American movies, American literature (if you are not asking the Nobel prize committee), American products (I-phonomania is almost as widespread as Obamamania) and they are inspired by the american dream. Remember: Bill Clinton was a hero in Europa despite his bombardment of Serbia - Obama will still be a hero in Europa even after his knockout of Bin Ladin in Pakistan.

Michael from Switzerland (who travelled to to berlin to attend Obama's ralley)

Mr. Harsch you really don't get it - we Europeans are not as naive as you think. People here know exactly that Obama is and will not be european style liberal. Most Obama supporters are completely aware of his positions in respect of Afghanistan and Pakistan - newspapers in Europe are extensively covering this election cycle and quite a lot of people are surfing the american media- and blogosphere (whereas you will not find a lot of Americans having any firsthand information about Europe.)
Some years ago, when Bush hatred was on its climax, many Americans (and even Europeans) identified this as anti-americanism. So why is nobody interpreting Obamania as pro-american sentiment? The enthusiasm for a possible (if not probable) soon-to-be leader of a foreign country is a clear sign that a vast majority of Europeans are keen on having a renewed and improved relationship with the US. Europeans admire American movies, American literature (if you are not asking the Nobel prize committee), American products (I-phonomania is almost as widespread as Obamamania) and they are inspired by the american dream. Remember: Bill Clinton was a hero in Europa despite his bombardment of Serbia - Obama will still be a hero in Europa even after his knockout of Bin Ladin in Pakistan.

Michael from Switzerland (who travelled to to Berlin to attend Obama's ralley)

Not only Germany, in fact, the world world is gripped with Obamamania! After all, it happens only rare in lifetime of a generation that they get to meet and watch and listen and follow a "genuine leader"! ... Except for a few percentage of republicans in America who are still in their "paradise". They have simply grown used to Bush's disasterous legacy. Poor they :(

Considering you're currently at the FU, Mr Harsch, one might assume you could have simply talked to some Germans around you. It might have cleared things up a little.

I, like many fellow Berliners, was there to listen to Obama's speech. None of us missed the call for more involvement in Afghanistan, we are perfectly aware of his foreign policy -- after all, it affects us.

The simplest explanation for the Obama shirts and for the degree of enthusiasm is, as you correctly note, the disastrous Bush administration and the hope that while we may continue to disagree, at least the next President will be slightly more competent and articulate - which might do wonders for actually getting Germany to cooperate. As the saying goes, "wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es wieder heraus" -- what goes around, comes around.

Surprise: We're not "fooled". Most of us know that Obama is more conservative, by our standards, than the most conservative member of the Christian Democratic Union. However, we're hoping for the lesser of two evils rather than a rock following a hard place.
Many of us are following the US elections together with American friends who, like you, are living in Germany. Most of the expats I know, however, know better than to put our interest down to ignorance and blind, fawning adoration. Welcome to Berlin. Maybe it's time to mingle more?

They can have him. Please.

It might be true that Mr. Obama has announced some ridiculous foreign policy statements: re Pakistan, Re Afganistan, re Iran, re Israel; however he can not buck [during electioneering ]the perceived widom of MSM, especially not the views expreesed by AIPAC nor can he buck washington's beltway talking heads. Converselty, Mr obama maintains that he will talk with any and all countries.

On the other hand, germans who experienced two hypoerinflations in the last century are fully aware that UNCLE SAM is going to be very restrined due to the financial fiasco perpetrated by Wall Street with aid and abetment by the Bush/Chaney Mafia.

The USa with $2 trillion probable federal deficit [as per USA economists] in 2009, with rising unemployment, unfunded liabilities of some 53 Trillion dollars, is not in any shape to maintain its horrendous DOD budget, nor in shape to start new wars.

After the recent export of toxic waste to Europe in general and , Germany in particular [by Wall Street] it will be a long time before anyone will have the political will to knowtow to any USA president within EU and all other effected countries.

Conversely if Mr. McCain gets in the whole world will be fervently praying that WWIII does not start. Having seen two wars in Europe, it is clear that Europe does not wish to see another warmonger/war criminal in the Whitehouse, they had their fill with Mr. Bush.

Heheh, so he's got them fooled has he?

They're in good company, he's got a lot of Americans fooled too.

Alternatively, they know about his stated positions that they disagree with and they assume he is lying.

Or they may be responding to image and not bothering to investigate substance. Obama is really very good as establishing and maintaining the most useful (to him) image. The images he is projecting appear to have little do do with any facts. Of course, once he becomes President, he will forced into actual acts. These acts will be judged and compared to his words during the campaign. Obama may find out that shallow supporters give shallow support - Europeans will abandon him quickly if he starts making foreign policy moves beneficial to the US.

It will be an interesting 4 years.