How do you attract 200,000 Berliners?As Paul Harvey used to say, “here’s the rest of the story.” Funny how the media didn’t point this out, isn’t it? So, how do you attract 200,000 Germans to an American presidential candidate’s campaign rally in Berlin ?A. With the charisma and reputation of the candidate?
B. With a compelling political message?
C. With lots of advance advertising?
D. With the top two rock bands in Germany giving a free concert with the American candidate coming out for a short speech between the bands?
“D” of course. What the American media following and fawning over Obama failed to mention about his Berlin speech was why the crowds were really there. 95% of them could care less about Obama or American politics.
They came to see a free concert with the German equivalents of Willy Nelson and Madonna headlining. Obama was an unwelcome and boring interruption giving a political speech in a foreign language between the acts – which is why the crowd only gave lame applause a couple of times – after all, how many of them spoke English or cared less? Obama didn’t care about the crowd either. His speech was really for the American media and the crowd was a backdrop for the photo ops. And the American media bit on it hook line and sinker and just sorta, kinda forgot to mention the rock bands that really drew the crowds.
On another note. Someone did the math on Obama the Senator. He has only been a Senator for 18 months. But with all the recesses, four day weekends, campaig ning and absences, Obama has only spent about 6 weeks of workdays on the Senate floor as one of the most junior Senators. Most of his votes, about 80% when he was not absent, have been “present” or “abstain”. He also chairs a committee that has never met because the chairman has never called a meeting. As a trial lawyer he only tried 14 cases in court – and minor ones at that. As a “community organizer” his major cause was getting the asbestos out of a housing project. After 2 years of trying the asbestos was still there when he left and is still there even now that he is a Senator and presumably has some pull to get things done.
That’s it. His entire real world work resume. 6 weeks work in the Senate with nothing to show for it. Two years as a lawyer and only 14 minor trials. And two years as a “community organizer” with nothing accomplished.
But he does give a great speech if he has a teleprompter to read it from and someone else to write if for him and some rock bands to attract the crowd to, and he will visit our combat-wounded troops as long as he can have his posse of media wonks and their cameramen alongside to record his “patrioticact”….