Citizen Obama
| posted by Arnold SherrBerlin, Germany - July 24, 2008
By Arnie Sherr
Barack Obama to crowd in Berlin, Germany estimated to have exceeded 200,000, spoke not as a Presidential Candidate but as he labeled himself, a citizen of the world. As a quick assessment I can not identify a single issue of which his moving oration did not touch. His usual talent for activating human emotional endorphins was evident of Germany’s overwhelming turnout. He does indeed possess an uncanny ability to energize beyond anyone I’ve witnessed in recent years.
His impressive speech was not left or right; it was targeted at human rights, global security, world economics, national partnerships, the elimination of racial, and religious, ancestral, national, and emigrational divides. He proposed loyal allegiances in the irradiation of nuclear weaponry, hunger and genocide, global warming and furthermore he made no excuses other than apologetic admittance of America’s imperfect past and potential probability of future mistakes but only when like all nations the intent is pure and real-time. He made reference to Germany’s past and America’s continued dedication to protecting global freedoms and the further propagation of basic human rights and freedoms where they are presently void and in doing so simultaneously and jointly fight extremist threats that wage harmful intent to all of the world’s peoples. He made no outrageous promises, no impossible insinuations, no regrettable declarations, just rational and realistic statements of global cohesiveness.
He said nothing that contradicts either the conservative or the liberal platforms. His agenda was once again one of hope and change without even mentioning either word. Barack Obama has with this enticing and enthusiastic speech content begun the challenging task of rebuilding the damaged global reputation that has grown to camouflage America’s real qualities and genuine values.
If this compelling speech was missed I urge that it be accessed online or viewed when rebroadcast on television.
Having written what is my intellectual interpretation and review of Obama's speech I am discouraged that in its aftermath conservative pundits are twisting the content of Barack's speech as arrogant, improper, and representative of old almost Marxist global ambitions. My review as written above is a sincere attempt to remain neutral of the right or left. Are party loyalties so severe that neither side can appreciate common values regardless from whom they are allayed?
I think Barack Obama portrayed himself as adequately Presidential and I believe Senator McCain would have portrayed himself equally had the speech of his personal content been the agenda of the day in Berlin.
It is unconscionable that such an oration from either candidate regardless of how it is directed to be accepted (citizen of the world) could ever be misconstrued as anything but campaign rhetoric. I feel such criticism is unfair no matter the speaker's identity.
To the reader, it is important to accept; it was McCain who baited Obama to go abroad. I guess as politics goes this reaction is par for the course. Both candidates are selling themselves to the American people in hopes of winning their confidence and trust. Assuming the sale, or being "presumptive" is the first and most important "rule" taught in Marketing 101 and of those who have achieved remarkable sales successes 100 percent will attest as almost biblical that "assumptive" attitudes prevail the preponderance of times. Barack has exemplified himself and that basic proved marketing "law."
Having said that, simply being artful at the practice of "assumptive selling" is not evidence of presidential qualification, it is merely evidence of professed, learned, and well-practiced sales acumen.
Deciding for whom each of us will support in the general election is as always a challenge made even more tedious that it might be were it not for exaggerated, twisted, and misrepresented media attempts to promote their corporate political preferences and goals. In light of this unfortunate reality it is still our individual responsibility to weed through the volumes of media garbage and arrive at a choice that best fits our personal and what we feel are the are America's most important needs.
