Obama's Berlin Campaign Rally Too Presumptuous

Original Link: http://cayankee.blogs.com/cayankee/2008/07/obamas-berlin-c.html

In the wake of Obama's Berlin speech, the media debates whether Obama is too presumptuous.

ABC World News reported:

"To his admirers, it was a soaring speech, with a new vision. To his detractors, it was presumptuous that a candidate for president would deliver a speech as if he were president."
Michael Finnegan reports "the staging of the Berlin event has led critics to accuse Obama of being presumptuous about winning the White House:"
But critics, led by Obama's Republican rival John McCain, said the Democrat's speech showed that he was presumptuous about the presidency.

"While Barack Obama took a premature victory lap today in the heart of Berlin, proclaiming himself a 'citizen of the world,' John McCain continued to make his case to the American citizens who will decide this election," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said.

At ABC News, Rick Klein also hit the presumptuousness theme:
To Obama's critics, the speech in Berlin is likely to serve as another example of presumptuousness on the part of the Illinois Democrat. Obama has already been criticized for his presidential-like entourage and trappings during his foreign trip -- a trip that has an itinerary that's unprecedented for a candidate.

"I'd love to give a speech in Germany," McCain said on the trail in Ohio Thursday, "but I'd much prefer to do it as President."

To drive home the contrast, McCain on Thursday campaigned in the German Village section of Columbus, Ohio, where he chatted with German-Americans at "Schmidt's Sausage Haus und Restaurant."

Obama originally wanted to hold his Berlin campaign rally at the Brandenburg Gate. According to Reuters, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the landmark Brandenburg Gate was a place for presidents, not candidates to speak. Merkel's advisers tried to convince the Obama to hold the speech at a university or other low-key location.

Obama needs to be reminded that he is not yet president. You have his attempt to make a Presidential-like speech in Berlin, the Obama Presidential Seal, a 'President' label on the headrest of Obama's campaign plane seat, and the fact that twice in recent days reporters had to correct Obama staffers for saying White House practices govern Obama's dealing with the press.