|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
As German as … America
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Container
|
| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Edited | ArmyDem Jul 24, 2008 09:31am |
| Logged |
1
[Older]
|
| Category | News |
| News Date | Thursday, July 24, 2008 03:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | By Nicholas Kulish
BERLIN — When one thinks of beer and bratwurst, one tends to think of either faraway Germany — or Milwaukee in the heartland.
That quirk of culinary geography says a lot about why Barack Obama can give a public speech in Berlin without catching the kind of flak that a similar outing under the Eiffel Tower would garner.
As the Obama campaign searched for a location here for his public address before a crowd that is expected to reach at least into the tens of thousands, a great deal of attention was paid to the backdrop within the city. Little was paid to the choice of country itself.
Yet Germany is an easy call for a number of reasons. It is the site of two of America’s most cherished victories, over the Nazi regime in World War II and the Soviets in the Cold War. And for the Obama campaign, comparisons to President Kennedy are always welcome as long as they do not appear too overtly sought after. Do not expect to hear Mr. Obama claim, auf deutsch, that he is a Berliner.
But a broader combination of social, historical and even demographic factors make Germany a hit for American politicians going abroad, whether it be Mr. Obama or President Bush, who in 2006 enjoyed a hearty meal of barbecued pig on a spit with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Campaigning abroad means delving into American perceptions and stereotypes about foreign countries, even among allies. No political operative could forget the way French became pejorative shorthand for elitism against John Kerry in the 2004 campaign. |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
