Barack Obama’s Berlin Speech Falls Flat

Pajamadeen wasn’t going to blog this, but a tweet from PunditMom, wondering if anyone else was unimpressed by President Senator Barack Obama’s Berlin speech yesterday made Pajamadeen realize that she wasn’t, in fact, the only person on the planet not basking in the afterglow of the admittedly unusual sight of 200,000 Europeans cheering an American on. “Historic” was the adjective most overused in describing Obama’s speech at the Tiergarten’s Victory Column.

It’s not that we didn’t want the speech to be moving and meaningful and yes, “historic.’ But wishing a thing so doesn’t make it so. We all remember what President John F. Kennedy said in Berlin in 1963: “Ich bin ein Berliner.” We remember Ronald Reagan’s impassioned 1987 plea: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” But what do we remember from Obama’s speech? Not much.

It was a well-written speech, skillfully delivered by someone with impressive oratorical skills. But to take on Berlin, Obama had to outshine Kennedy and Reagan. This is a man who can truly inspire. But that spark just wasn’t there yesterday. He seemed to overreach. His speech began to sound like…most of his other speeches. And we were left to wonder what Germans are thinking today, in hindsight. Were they just caught up in the fervor of the moment? Or is Germany, with its horrific 20th century military history and aversion to war, really willing to help us in Afghanistan and in Iraq? Somehow, we remain unconvinced.

What did you think of the speech? Read it in its entirety here. Or, read our coverage of a local Obama “Listening to America” platform meeting held near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

Copyright ©2008 pajamadeen.com

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