Campaign Posters at the Western Wall.

[cteddiesgirl]

Are there US citizens at the American bases in Germany???
Are there US soldiers hospitalized in the US Military Hospital in Germany??
He has cancelled THAT visit. Does THIS explanation make sense?
What would have been inappropriate is him visiting the wounded with his press corp in tow, but he could have done what President Bush does all of the time; go quietly with no cameras and no press. Fat chance!

July 24, 2008
Categories: Barack Obama
Obama aide: Military visit would have been 'inappropriate'

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs explains the cancellation of a stop at a U.S. military base in Germany during a leg of the trip paid for (unlike the Iraq and Afghanistan visits) by his campaign:

During his trip as part of the CODEL to Afghanistan and Iraq, Senator Obama visited the combat support hospital in the Green Zone in Baghdad and had a number of other visits with the troops.
For the second part of his trip, the senator wanted to visit the men and women at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to express his gratitude for their service and sacrifice. The senator decided out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."[/B]

It was his decision to not say "vote for me" to those trying to recoup in a hospital. Now if it was only just to say "I give you support and thank you for your sacrifices", then it would be appropriate.

Senators visit military bases and hospitals all of the time. This is the first time I have ever seen a presidential candidate go abroad to campaign. Its stunningly arrogant.

Why?

There are many, many Americans that live abroad. They vote too. Why not include those people in the campaign?

I don't think it's arrogant. I think it's good policy to include those Americans who probably usually feel left out.


Seriously, now. Why do you spend so much time and energy trying to tear down one person instead of trying to build up your own favorite candidate?

 

[Angelhalo]

Um, there are lots of Americans in Israel. If the Israeli Obama supporters want to show their support, why should anyone care? Oh, I forgot, it's you Dawn. I promise I won't care if McCain campaigns in any place where American citizens live. Btw, that covers most countries on the planet.

 

[DawnCt1]

I wonder if this free concert of two very popular bands will be mentioned in the news?
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/07/24/will-media-report-concert-obamas-berlin-speech


Remember back in May when media gushed and fawned over a huge crowd in Portland, Oregon -- supposedly gathered to hear the words of Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama -- but chose not to report the free concert given before his speech?

Well, it has been learned that before the presumptive Democrat nominee spoke to a crowd in Berlin Thursday, two popular German acts -- reggae artist Patrice and rock band Reamonn -- entertained the gathering audience.

Will media report this tonight, or just gush and fawn over the huge crowd again?

While you ponder, here's what was reported by Spiegel Online moments ago (h/t Hot Air and Gateway):

++ Pop Concert for Obama Fans ++

6:33 p.m.: The tens of thousands of Obama fans are being entertained as they await the senator. The reggae musician Patrice kicked things off, followed by the rock band Reamonn.

I'm sure this will be part of ALL media reports concerning this speech...not!

 

[DawnCt1]

It was his decision to not say "vote for me" to those trying to recoup in a hospital. Now if it was only just to say "I give you support and thank you for your sacrifices", then it would be appropriate.




Why?

There are many, many Americans that live abroad. They vote too. Why include those people in the campaign?

I don't think it's arrogant. I think it's good policy to include those Americans who probably usually feel left out.


Seriously, now. Why do you spend so much time and energy trying to tear down one person instead of trying to build up your own favorite candidate?

It was HIS DECISION NOT to even visit those soldiers who are recovering in the hospital. He took the hospital and the two military bases OFF of his itinery in Germany, but found time to work out at the Ritz Carlton and extend his trip by two hours. How about the American soldiers in the hospital and on bases who "feel left out"? Just wondering.

 

[shortbun]

So, when McCain visited Colombia and Mexico, those weren't campaign moves?

One doesn't have to put up posters to be campaigning.

I'm still waiting for Dawn's response -or Charade-or Charlie- to this question.

Can one of you respond to why it's ok for McCain but not for Obama? How about that little campaign stop with Lieberman when Lieberman kept whispering in McCain's ear correcting his mistakes? I'm pretty sure that was a campaign trip too.

 

[ilisao]

I wonder if this free concert of two very popular bands will be mentioned in the news?
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/07/24/will-media-report-concert-obamas-berlin-speech


Remember back in May when media gushed and fawned over a huge crowd in Portland, Oregon -- supposedly gathered to hear the words of Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama -- but chose not to report the free concert given before his speech?

Well, it has been learned that before the presumptive Democrat nominee spoke to a crowd in Berlin Thursday, two popular German acts -- reggae artist Patrice and rock band Reamonn -- entertained the gathering audience.

Will media report this tonight, or just gush and fawn over the huge crowd again?

While you ponder, here's what was reported by Spiegel Online moments ago (h/t Hot Air and Gateway):

++ Pop Concert for Obama Fans ++

6:33 p.m.: The tens of thousands of Obama fans are being entertained as they await the senator. The reggae musician Patrice kicked things off, followed by the rock band Reamonn.

I'm sure this will be part of ALL media reports concerning this speech...not!

OMG! Hold the presses! A German media outlet mentioned German bands in their reporting!

The nonsense you spew keeps getting weirder and weirder.

 

[phorsenuf]

So are you saying that the crowds came not for Obama but for the bands? So if say Springsteen decided to play at a McCain rally than everyone who shows up are there just for McCain and not Springsteen? Your grasping Dawn.

 

[DawnCt1]

OMG! Hold the presses! A German media outlet mentioned German bands in their reporting!

The nonsense you spew keeps getting weirder and weirder.

Maybe it was the rock bands and not just Obama that was the attraction. I would go see Obama too if Toby Keith was giving a free concert.

 

[shortbun]

It was HIS DECISION NOT to even visit those soldiers who are recovering in the hospital. He took the hospital and the two military bases OFF of his itinery in Germany, but found time to work out at the Ritz Carlton and extend his trip by two hours. How about the American soldiers in the hospital and on bases who "feel left out"? Just wondering.

Well, so now it's against the rules to work out.
Maybe you should apply for the job to set up his schedule. Can you imagine? He's been to Afganistan, been to Iraq, met with loads of soldiers and leaders and on and on but all of a sudden one hospital and two military bases become a point to argue. Geesh! The rules according to Dawn. Ya know, you are quickly becoming one of the most famous DISers of all time for your Obama posts. Everyone needs their 15 minutes of fame, eh?

 

[DawnCt1]

So are you saying that the crowds came not for Obama but for the bands? So if say Springsteen decided to play at a McCain rally than everyone who shows up are there just for McCain and not Springsteen? Your grasping Dawn.

I would suspect that 100,000 showed up at a McCain event, lead in by Springsteen, a huge percentage would be there to see Springsteen. Heck, I would bet you'd be there too!

 

[shortbun]

Maybe it was the rock bands and not just Obama that was the attraction. I would go see Obama too if Toby Keith was giving a free concert.

Oh yeah, I'm sure Toby Keith has a HUGE European following. lol!!! Good to know where your priorities are.

 

[undercovermom]

if campaign posters on police barricades at the Kotel were such a shonde one would have expected headlines in Ha'Aretz or the Jerusalem Post. I didn't see any criticism in the Israeli papers.

and didn bush hold meetings with Vicente Fox and make several trips to Mexico in 2000?

 

[Fizzgig]

So are you saying that the crowds came not for Obama but for the bands? So if say Springsteen decided to play at a McCain rally than everyone who shows up are there just for McCain and not Springsteen? Your grasping Dawn.

I can't see Springsteen playing for any political candidate, myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_in_the_U.S.A._(song)

 

[DawnCt1]

Well, so now it's against the rules to work out.
Maybe you should apply for the job to set up his schedule. Can you imagine? He's been to Afganistan, been to Iraq, met with loads of soldiers and leaders and on and on but all of a sudden one hospital and two military bases become a point to argue. Geesh! The rules according to Dawn. Ya know, you are quickly becoming one of the most famous DISers of all time for your Obama posts. Everyone needs their 15 minutes of fame, eh?

I never suggested that it was against the rules; I am suggesting that it can't be a matter of time constraints because he found time for other things. He HAD the bases and the hospital on his schedule but suddenly the visits there became "inappropriate". Why? Aren't they Americans too?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Maybe they posters were put up to cover up all of the anti-Bush graffiti? If I were a Republican, I'd consider it a public service...

 

[Angelhalo]

Maybe it was the rock bands and not just Obama that was the attraction. I would go see Obama too if Toby Keith was giving a free concert.

Ewwwwww Oh my Lord! Toby Keith and Bruce Springsteen?

No wonder we don't have anything in common oy vei!

 

[Fizzgig]

Ewwwwww Oh my Lord! Toby Keith and Bruce Springsteen?

No wonder we don't have anything in common oy vei!

Angelhalo, your "Christian Democrat" button is hilarious in this thread. What are you, German?

 

[phorsenuf]

I would suspect that 100,000 showed up at a McCain event, lead in by Springsteen, a huge percentage would be there to see Springsteen. Heck, I would bet you'd be there too!

OK, so than why bring it up even.

Oh and I saw this at CNN

The Democrat said earlier his address was not a "political rally."

Crowds gathered at the Victory Column to listen to musical acts in the hours leading up to Obama's arrival.

 

[charlie,nj]

..yes weirder and weirder…..


Free Concert by Popular Band Preceded Obama’s Big Rally
By Robert Knight (Bio | Archive)
May 20, 2008 - 17:16 ET

From CNN to the New York Times, the media hyped Barack Obama's Portland, Oregon rally on Sunday, some comparing him to a rock star.

Unmentioned in national reporting was the fact that Obama was preceded by a rare, 45-minute free concert by actual rock stars The Decemberists. The Portland-based band has drawn rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine, which gave their 2005 album Picaresque four and a half stars (out of five), and another four and a half stars for 2007's The Crane Wife.

How many of the people showed up to hear Obama, and how many to hear the band?

Here's how the local paper The Oregonian, which estimated the crowd at 72,000, reported the rally:

"Obama was the biggest star at Sunday's gathering -- though a popular Portland band, The Decemberists, provided the warmup act. With blue skies and temperatures in the 80s, many in the crowd said Waterfront Park was simply the place to be."

CNN headlined its 10 p.m. segment on May 18 with "Barack Obama: Achieving Rock Star Status in Oregon."

The New York Times, which ran a color photo of the crowd, estimated the throng at 75,000, noting that it was "the largest crowd of his campaign so far." There was no mention of The Decemberists, and the Times described the weather as "an unseasonably hot day."

Indie rock Web sites were abuzz with news of the impending concert, which was also announced on the Obama campaign's Web site.

Here's the report from the Indie rock Web site Pitchfork:

By land and by sea, they came to see the great man speak. An estimated 75,000 in all turned out to see presidential hopeful Barack Obama at Portland's Waterfront Park yesterday afternoon-- a record crowd for Obama's own campaign, according to The New York Times, and a record crowd for Oregon political events, according to The Oregonian. Just look at them all!

And hey, they got to see a pretty sweet opening act too. Calling themselves the Decemberists and led by lovably literate Steve Novick endorser Colin Meloy, this feisty fivepiece charmed the gathered for a good 45 minutes before Senator Obama took the stump. They even closed out with a sing-along entitled "Sons & Daughters", which had the masses joining the band to declare "Here all the bombs fade away..." Something tells me this Decemberists band is going places. Just like Senator Obama.


Here's how Pitchfork primed the pump for the concert/rally:

Indie rock's #1 candidate crush Barack Obama is sittin' quite a bit prettier than he was a few weeks ago when the Arcade Fire and Bruce Springsteen went to bat for him, but the dashing junior Senator hasn't quite clinched the Democratic party nomination yet. Next up on the primary agenda are Oregon and Kentucky, whose voters hit the polls Tuesday, May 20. Should Obama win a heaping majority of the delegates up for grabs that day, he'll be within inches of securing the hotly-contested nom.

And look who's arrived to give Obama the extra push he needs to get on the ballot in November. Why, it's none other than those kings and queens of the month after, the Decemberists!


There's nothing wrong with a candidate using celebrity power to draw a crowd, but the media have a responsibility to report their presence. By ignoring the free concert, the Times and other outlets made it appear that 75,000 people were drawn only by Sen. Obama's considerable charisma.




.

 

[Angelhalo]

Angelhalo, your "Christian Democrat" button is hilarious in this thread. What are you, German?

Uh no, and the button is in every thread that I post in cause its in my signature. Why would I be German?