Continuing Improvements. Tell Us How We’re Driving! Send us Feedback

100,000 expected for Obama Berlin speech »

Posted By smithichie 2 months, 2 weeks ago in News

1 of 1

10.0

Scale of 1 to 10

Read: 2,868

Propped: 114

Comments: 309

Click Prop It to Raise Score
Prop it

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend a speech by Barack Obama in Berlin today as he starts the European leg of his foreign tour.

Read Full Story at guardian.co.uk »

309 Comments Report

Submitted By:
smithichie

Human, advocator of critical thought, stirrer of the pot, rocker of boats, smart-ass.

Related Articles:

Join the Discussion

+ Add Comment
Comments So Far: 309
  • 100%
    smithichie2 months, 2 weeks ago

    Keep in mind 100K is the LOW estimate, according to this article. Reports are calling for excellent weather today in Berlin.

    Reply

    43 Replies

    • 84%
      Neophile2 months, 2 weeks ago

      We're going to be watching a live feed of the speech and chatting about it here at 1pm EST:

      http://www.propeller.com/groups/politics/conversations/1602487/

      Judging by those crowd shots, 100K is a WAY low estimate.

      Reply
      • 90%
        Dionys2 months, 2 weeks ago

        I heard expected attendance is in the tens of thousands. It will be interesting to see how many show up.

        Reply

        2 Replies

      • 80%
        Neophile2 months, 2 weeks ago

        It turned out to be 200,000.

        Reply

        1 Reply

      • 32%
        BB642 months, 2 weeks ago

        Did anyone explain to Barack, Germans can't vote in an American election? This isn't the south side of Chicago or San Diego. Why would he go to Germany? This is a terrible campaign stunt that will back fire. He's doing the same thing Hillary did, assume he's won the election.

        Reply

        36 Replies

    • 94%
      smithichie2 months, 2 weeks ago

      I don't think just any American candidate could hope to draw such numbers, I doubt McCain would be able to get 10,000 people to show up. This isn't a dig at McCain so much as it's evidence of the phenomenon called Obama.

      Reply

      2 Replies

      • 50%
        Daylight2 months, 2 weeks ago

        Did anyone explain to Barack, Germans can't vote in an American election? This isn't the south side of Chicago or San Diego. Why would he go to Germany? This is a terrible campaign stunt that will back fire. He's doing the same thing Hillary did, assume he's won the election.

        You need allies and friends, around the world for your foreign policy, that the reason he is there. Does that make sense to you?

        Reply
        • 33%
          tiredofwhiners2 months, 2 weeks ago

          Exactly, a pure and simple campaign stunt. A pitiful attempt at trying to copy JFK and Reagan. They were great Presidents who spoke in times of real crisis, the cold war and separation of Berlin. Merkel is a conservative and, if Germans could vote in our election, she wouldn't vote for him.

          Reply
        • 100%
          Mdiar2 months, 2 weeks ago

          Indeed, smithichie! I have to wonder about where it actually WILL fall, ultimately. Obama is popular in Germany and France but at the same time its just an American candidate! However, something like 70% of Germans feel the US election will be effecting them! In addition this is nice timing for Obama as well, in that local German politics are less likely to overshadow Obama's visit. I think we could see up to 200k people considering the high level of publicity this is receiving. The million estimate seems way to high... but 100k seems a tad low to me.

          Reply

          17 Replies

          • 88%
            Mdiar2 months, 2 weeks ago

            I agree McCain wouldn't but I think he'd manage over 10k. We must also include protesters to the Iraq war! By the same token this is the Obama phenomenon... but really, would a charismatic politician from the UK who held a seat in Parliament for only a couple of years get this kind of response? The world is watching the US elections... very closely. I think the fact that he is an American candidate for President and the likely winner is going to bring a significant number of people so they can gauge him.

            Reply

            1 Reply

          • 81%
            Aidenag2 months, 2 weeks ago

            McCain can't even draw 10,000 people in a major US city when he speaks, even in his homestate. Oversea's i would doubt he could clear 1,000.

            Reply
          • 86%
            fsev412 months, 2 weeks ago

            What I found interesting was Merkels comment that OBama was "physically, mentally, and politically able to be president." Could that be a little swipe at John McCain?

            Reply

            15 Replies

            • 80%
              RickyDawkins2 months, 2 weeks ago

              It isn't a swipe if it is true.

              "During a CBS interview on Tuesday, John McCain made a stone cold error on a subject about which he claims expert knowledge: the "surge" strategy in Iraq. In an interview with anchor Katie Couric, the Arizona Republican said, inaccurately, that the surge strategy was responsible for the much-touted "Anbar Awakening," in which Sunni sheiks turned against Al Qaeda, helping in turn to reduce violence in the country.

              The fact remains, however, that the military official cited by McCain, then-Colonel Sean MacFarland, described the Anbar Awakening in September 2006 -- four months before the "surge" was even announced -- noting that tribal leaders were "stepping forward and cooperating with the Iraqi security forces against Al Qaeda." Moreover, a military review written by MacFarland notes that his unit actually left Anbar before most of the surge troops arrived; his success in the region came between June 2006 and February 2007."

              http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/mccain-gets-history-of-th_n_114419.html

              Reply

              1 Reply

            • 74%
              RickyDawkins2 months, 2 weeks ago

              Is it still a swipe if its true?

              "McCain gets it wrong about Iraq timeline"

              During a CBS interview on Tuesday, John McCain made a stone cold error on a subject about which he claims expert knowledge: the "surge" strategy in Iraq. In an interview with anchor Katie Couric, the Arizona Republican said, inaccurately, that the surge strategy was responsible for the much-touted "Anbar Awakening," in which Sunni sheiks turned against Al Qaeda, helping in turn to reduce violence in the country.

              In fact, as Spencer Ackerman and Ilan Goldenberg have reported, the record firmly establishes the opposite: instead of being caused by the surge, the key signs of the Anbar Awakening occurred not only before that strategy was implemented, but before it was ever conceived.

              Yet McCain's error was not seen by any CBS Evening News viewers. As MSNBC's Keith Olbermann noted (video below), "CBS curiously, to say the least, left it on the edit room floor. It aired Katie Couric's question, but in response, it aired part of McCain's answer to the other question instead." (Ironically, this edit came on the same day that McCain's campaign released a video mocking the media's "love affair" with Obama.)

              The fact remains, however, that the military official cited by McCain, then-Colonel Sean MacFarland, described the Anbar Awakening in September 2006 -- four months before the "surge" was even announced -- noting that tribal leaders were "stepping forward and cooperating with the Iraqi security forces against Al Qaeda."

              http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/mccain-gets-history-of-th_n_114419.html

              Reply

              9 Replies

            • 60%
              jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago

              Could that be a little swipe at John McCain?>>>>

              Is it true?

              Reply
              • 60%
                mesodude2 months, 2 weeks ago

                Merkel thinks Obama is hawwwwwt. ;-P

                Reply

                1 Reply

            • 60%
              nightcrawlerX2 months, 2 weeks ago

              Ich Bin Ein Riding coat tales. Why are Americans obsessed with the image of that mediocre president. Wouldn't it be better if Obama could surpass him or at least do a better job.

              Reply

              12 Replies

              • 70%
                Dionys2 months, 2 weeks ago

                Ooopsie. Accidentally gave you a positive.

                People are obsessed with Kennedy because for many he represents an idealized picture of the presidency -- with a president who actually loves his country and cares for the people as opposed to one who tries to figure out the best way to drain the treasury into the pockets of the corporations. Add to that the romance of a solidly-connected family (sorely lacking in American society today) and the challenge of an underdog fighting against bigotry (anti-Catholic) of the time. Add to that the solution of the Cuban missile crisis. Add to that the curiosity of people concerning how our country might have looked if he hadn't been murdered (in direct opposition to people today who wonder how much better our country might be if some leaders *were* murdered).

                Sure it'd be great if Obama could surpass expectations and the example of Kennedy. Let's see, shall we.

                Reply

                11 Replies