German Press Headline - “Obama’s speech in Berlin is traitorous”

The Gallup polls released this week show that Obama’s world tour gave him a 9 point bump nationally (2,000 plus respondents) – how could it be otherwise? From the big three networks allotting 25% of their evening news to Obama and their affiliates in every hamlet in the country devoting at least 10 minutes or more with each broadcast, the “folks” have been treated to Obama 24/7 since his plane landed in Afghanistan.

If one is wondering how well that trip went, one only needs to read the European papers, (Al Jezzera, of course, believes Obama can do no wrong), to get a dose of reality. (If one does not have language skills there are several on-line translators available, both free and paid versions.)

From Berliner Umschau, July 28, 2008, Karl Von Weiss has a slightly different take than CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and MSNBC - The headline: “Obamas Rede in Berlin ist verräterisch” (Translated from the Berlinere Umschau, July 28, 2008. Translation in quotations) is an indication of just how well Obama’s World Tour really went in Berlin. (Note: Depending upon intent of the article, traitorous may be substituted for treacherous. Either way it is not a complement.)

“Obama would have the makings of becoming a new Kennedy – His speeches are brilliant (in the double sense of the word) and the dark part of his skin color seems to single he has a little bit in common with the underprivileged persons of this world”. That is where the praise, such as it is, ends. The article concludes that should he be chosen, he would be a “fish on dry land”, one “who can hold nothing of the promised, especially those promises which he has not done at all.” (Yes, Europeans do check the record and get their facts straight.) Von Weiss sees Obama’s main problem as handling the current economic crisis, without experience, and the results? – “The superpower will be only a dream.”

On handling Iraq and the Middle East in general, Von Weiss is right on target – “Obama has already used up now, not yet as a candidate of the democrats elective, all premature praise. – On the Media circus –“In the newspapers, run radio stations and TV stations there it is spread again and again what he promised!” Specifically on Jerusalem: “it will be forever the undivided capital of Israel – “It is already clear: there will be no peace in the Middle East.

In his conclusion, Von Weiss notes that the “lower class layers in Europe and even part of the workers may still be blinded for some time by him, what they want to see in Obama, however, most of them will become frightened and disillusioned”

George W. Bush has gotten better press from the German papers.

The question now arises: “Will the American Public, despite or because of, the media push for one particular candidate, “be blinded for some time?” or are they now disillusioned?

A 9 point bump from the Gallup Poll, when averaged with polls nationally, (Real Clear Politics), becomes a 5 point lead, or a statistical tie with McCain. Perhaps, just perhaps, the American Public is not "blinded" but are, as Von Weiss suggests, becoming "disillusioned".