DISQUS

Butch1 · 1 year ago

If she is going to be this inhospitable, perhaps, Obama should leave her country and when he becomes president, ignore her then as well. Funny, I thought she didn't like Bush.

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

"Christian Democratic" is just another label for "reactionary."

donotmakemecomedownthere · 1 year ago

"Christian Democratic" struck me as well. There is scarcely nothing more UN-democratic than Christianity.

"Ich bin ein Rockstar!"

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

I always thought that was liberal leaning party. But if I were her I would watch out. We still have a lot of military bases in Germany with lots of German civilians working at these bases.

canuck55 · 1 year ago

To quote Basil Fawlty:
Don't mention the war.

sittenpretty · 1 year ago

my favorite show ever...named my dog after him

unpoetaloco · 1 year ago

What do you expect? She was raised in East Germany. She has a thing for authoritarianism. She belonged to the Free German Youth, the communist equivalent of Hitler-Jugend. You can take the girl out of East Germany, but you can't take East Germany out of the girl.

LasloPratt · 1 year ago

She must have been promised one heck of a neck rub!

tlsintx · 1 year ago

ha! that, or she's pissed cause she's knows her neck rub days are over!

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Hey Germans, stay out of our elections.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

The conspiracy theorists are going to go WILD!!

lucky hussein · 1 year ago

She appears to be playing to her audience, nothing new, he's a possible threat to them. Democrats and freedom-lovers: know thy enemy.

ndtovent · 1 year ago

Good post! I agree, John, and no offense to Chris (who's posts I enjoy a great deal) or his lovely wife, but the French are the same GD way... We;ve helped these European countries out so much over the years with aid, in many different ways, at least since the beginning of the 20th century and WW1....and they have NO appreciation. All they want to do is kick us when we're down and badmouth us... I'm also a little F***g tired of it... I'm ready for another isolationist period like we had in the 1930's, but with a new millennial twist -- only because our economies are so intertwined now that it would be impossible to undo those connections -- no foreign aid, and no U.S. military protection until they can F**g say something NICE about us and our compassion.... and some of the good that we do in the world... That said, I want to clarify my general outlook on my country, the good ol USA -- it's like being a member of a dysfunctional but loving family..*I* can call it names and criticize it all I want, but no one ELSE outside the family damn well better.. When they do, i get pissed.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

I'm the same way. I enjoy kicking it around myself but I bristle like a proqupine when outsiders do. Can't help it.

lucky hussein · 1 year ago

after iraq and bush, I think you have a long time to wait before you can expect no outside criticism... not to mention 50 decades of varying levels of imperialism. no foreign aid? sure, let's start with israel. and how about no more selling weapons or aid tied to weapons all over this planet more than anyone else combined? your 'disfunctional family' is pretty much ripping the whole neighborhood to pieces.
besides, merkel likes the disfunction, that's why she doesn't like obama.

Bubbles · 1 year ago

Almost all of continental Europe were our allies during the Revolutionary War. They under wrote our Independence during that war. Perhaps the last French navel victory of consequence over the British was off Hampton Roads and secured our independence.

These days the Europeans have pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into holding up the value of our currency. It exceeds the Marshall Plan in sheer volume, when adjusted for inflation. Not sure who is saving who's bacon.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Gah, I love PBS. For just what's coming on now. I've seen it before but will enjoy seeing this segment program again on NOVA.

Busboy · 1 year ago

Which program is it, GG?

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

It's NOVA on right now on PBS trying to figure out what happend in the Scab Lands in the northeast. Seems a big glacier held back water that broke out and scoured it out.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

northwest up the in Idaho or someplace up there

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Montana

ndtovent · 1 year ago

and anOTHER thang, Europe -- stay out of our gd elections! Get it? Got it? Good.
"snap!"

Busboy · 1 year ago

GWB: Wall Street got "drunk"

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2008/07/22/bush...

He's the x-spurt.......

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

What's the weather you're getting there?

Busboy · 1 year ago

Hot and dry in OK. 100 degrees today. Got to get all the outside stuff done before 11AM. But, that leaves the rest of the day to drink whiskey and chase pretty women...(or, whatever your pleasure)...

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

You little rooster, you.

Busboy · 1 year ago

Usually a dry run....

S_in_Tokyo · 1 year ago

Yes, it's not as if he's taking the campaign overseas ... As an American presidential candidate, he has the right to give a speech wherever he wants, not.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Uh, some country has to be the biggest and most influential. We apologize for chimpy but we're trying to correct that now.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

We in this country are the third most populous in the world behind China and India. We're probably much more complex. So we work toward getting it right. We want to get better and better.

S_in_Tokyo · 1 year ago

I don't mind him campaigning where he likes. as long as the residents
of the places he speaks in also get to vote.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Shut up, non-citizen of the Empire.

derekl · 1 year ago

John, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. I've lived in Berlin for 13 years. I follow German politics. I have never heard of Mr. Schockenhoff, who apparantly made some dumb and unimportant comment which was then picked up by the Washington Post. Who cares? We're all looking forward to Obama's speech on Thursday and to giving him a warm welcome at the Siegessaeule.

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

Yes I lived in Germany also. I loved it. I worked at the Heidelberg Hospital were Patton died. My husband was stationed at the army chaplains office. My husband was born in Germany and adopted from Germany by an american GI. My husband spent 21 yrs in the military. He said he wanted to give back the good things he received as a child growing up here. He did say that living in the south was a culture shock. He had kids making fun of him by calling him a nazi. To this day he sends contributions to jewish organizations because what Hitler did. I told him it isn't his fault he was born after the war was over. So there are a lot of good germans who look forward to Obama coming over. In fact I heard they expect 1,000,000.00 people. You can bet the republicans will spin it that will make it look bad.

BostonJoe · 1 year ago

Merkel might be saving our guy"s butt. Kennedy spoke at B's Gate when I believe West Germany was allowed into N.A.T.O. Reagan Spoke there when we won the cold war. Our guy will speak there whe he is the Pres. The other sight is a memorial to Prussian war victories over France, Poland and Belgium. Hitler had the eagle or falcon (whatever it is!) set there himself. I hope Barak'speople find a better place.

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

Also Clinton spoke in Germany

Bubbles · 1 year ago

The site is a memorial for the Prussian wars of unification which were fought against Denmark, Austrio-Hungary Empire and the second French Empire (Under Louis Napoleon III).

The French are a little sensitive about, and maybe so our the Poles, but I'm not sure the Belgians would care.

FunMe · 1 year ago

Sounds like Angelita Merkel won't be invited to Obama's inaugaration in January 2009.

Oh well, she can always count on comforting the crying bush with a big fat german beer.

paulbot5 · 1 year ago

thats interventionism for ya

JetSetter · 1 year ago

Get a life John - The photo op might be great for Obama, but the last time I looked Germany was a sovreign state. They may have a conservative party in power, but the Brandenburg Gate is not North Dakota. Even if Merkel did talk to W, it's her prerogative to say where, and when a foreign politician can speak in her country.

I don't know why you think an American politician should be able to just order up a political speech location anywhere in the world and have every other country kowtow to their whim.

Americans - all for democratic rule in other countries, as long as they do exactly what the Americans want. You could be McCain complaining about Al Maliki's statement a couple of days ago.

Bubbles · 1 year ago

The mayor of Berlin prefered Obama speak at the B-gate. Does he count for something?

JetSetter · 1 year ago

My comment is not that certain Germans count or don't count - my contention is that Americans getting their undies in a bunch because foreign governments don't just open their arms, and historic landmarks, in aid of our preferred American politicians' political photo op is frivolous and reeks of imperialism.

I merely pointed out that we applauded Al Maliki and poked fun at McCain's campaign back-pedaling furiously because the Iraqis have the temerity to ask the US to honor their sovereignty, but in the same breath get pissed off when another sovereign government shows similar inclinations.

Fran1 · 1 year ago

Yes, but Wowi is also getting ready for some elections - so it was not totally selfless. :-)

Ben Dover · 1 year ago

Just curious, but what is the German policy concerning other nation's politicians making speeches in front of the Brandenburg Gate?

Do we allow other nation's leaders to make political speeches in front of the Washington Monument, Rushmore, any of the others?

I'm really not trying to start something, I'm just really curious about this. It seems that a lot of politicians make the pilgrimage to Brandenburg, and I just wonder why, in this day and age, giving a speech at the Gate is so important. I think if I were German, I'd be getting a little tired of it myself.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Shut up, citizen of the Empire.

Ben Dover · 1 year ago

GG -

I can trace my ancestors back to 1831 prior to the "Nunna daul Tsuny", it's Cherokee look it up.

German? Hardly.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Uh, you do realize I'm from Louisiana? It's really silly you would bring that up even about 1831.

Ben Dover · 1 year ago

That's why I brought it up. Sheeeesh.

Õ¿Õ · 1 year ago

Everybody just needs to shut up and salute the Fag. Er, I mean, Flag.

Busboy · 1 year ago

You gotta quit drinking that clear stuff with the cloud in the bottom of the bottle, GG.

jr · 1 year ago

Angela Merkel looks like a d00d

moreleesafer · 1 year ago

she must have really liked that damn massage W gave her.............

chandler_in_lasvegas · 1 year ago

♥
He should do it at Check Point Charlie.
There is enough symbolism there for everyone to talk for a week.

Fran1 · 1 year ago

John, I often agree with you, but I think you headline is out of line. Germany is Merkel's business. It is not her job to provide backdrops for American presidental canditates photo-ops. And what you do not seem to realise, that Obama's visite could also be considered a interference with the starting German election cycle.

I really hope Obama gets elected, the alternative would be to disastrous. This does not mean that I am excited about him. For me he is to much on the right. In some topics he is even on the right of Merkel, like Afganistan or the capital punishment or health care, etc.

lynchie · 1 year ago

No country has to allow a foreign elected official a stage to give a speech. Visiting with foreign leaders is one thing, using the Gate is a prop brings an air of phoniness to the whole trip. In addition, European leaders continue to dump on America for our Imperialism, but fail to remember there was a Dutch Empire, A Belgian Empire, A British Empire, A German Empire, French Colonialism in the Far East and on and on. I will admit we tend to be heavy handed but our raping of foreign countries was and is no different than all other countries. Merkel should take a pill and help Laura find a home in Houston now that the Bush prop in Crawford has finished it usefulness.

LawMichigander · 1 year ago

She is ugly, not the Head of State of Germany, and is clearly stepping out of bounds.