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""
The result is that the most pressing questions of international life now stand in a wholly new light. Part of that is the warm, amber glow of affection, verging on adulation, for President-elect Obama. (He is surely the first politician since Nelson Mandela whose face can be worn on a T-shirt without embarrassment.) But it's more substantive than that.
""
Compelling
There's more, read the whole article.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
For continental elites, the candidate (Obama) exemplifies “the good American.”
It is statements like this that make Americans want to punch the closest "continental elites" in the mouth.
Can't say this any better.
""
Europe’s media and left-wing intelligentsia see Barack Obama as the most appealing candidate for the U.S. presidency. He exemplifies what the French leftist magazine Le Nouvel Observateur calls “the America we like.” Most Europeans deny that they’re anti-American; they argue instead that there are two Americas—the good and the bad. Michael Moore is a good American, honored with the Cannes film festival’s highest prize in 2006 for his anti-Bush fantasy documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Other good Americans include Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Noam Chomsky, Barbra Streisand, and Philip Roth. Charlton Heston and Billy Graham are bad—as bad as McDonald’s—and so, of course, are President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
""
Can't say this any better.
""
Europe’s media and left-wing intelligentsia see Barack Obama as the most appealing candidate for the U.S. presidency. He exemplifies what the French leftist magazine Le Nouvel Observateur calls “the America we like.” Most Europeans deny that they’re anti-American; they argue instead that there are two Americas—the good and the bad. Michael Moore is a good American, honored with the Cannes film festival’s highest prize in 2006 for his anti-Bush fantasy documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Other good Americans include Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Noam Chomsky, Barbra Streisand, and Philip Roth. Charlton Heston and Billy Graham are bad—as bad as McDonald’s—and so, of course, are President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
""
Obama can't happen in Europe, says Old World writer
""
On Wednesday morning, news of America's historic election was gobbled up by an Obama-besotted Europe. But introspection has set in just as quickly, as the Old World has to admit that its own Obama figure might take some time to emerge.
""
A German shoots straight
Will Old Europe be able to deal with an American president that is more progressive than they are?
Euros are so happy to have an American intellectual president. What if Obama points the finger at European leaders and countries, and asks why an ethnic minority isn't president of a major European country?
Hmm?
""
Despite the pan-European wave of "Obamania," minority groups are still, by and large, on the sidelines of government.
But the Obama story has kept immigrant groups riveted.
""
Riveted indeed.
America is the land of the free, verdad?
Black, mix raced, immigrants can win elections in America.
Is Europe so racist that it can't even conceive of an immigrant leading one of "their" countries.
We'll see.
On Wednesday morning, news of America's historic election was gobbled up by an Obama-besotted Europe. But introspection has set in just as quickly, as the Old World has to admit that its own Obama figure might take some time to emerge.
""
A German shoots straight
Will Old Europe be able to deal with an American president that is more progressive than they are?
Euros are so happy to have an American intellectual president. What if Obama points the finger at European leaders and countries, and asks why an ethnic minority isn't president of a major European country?
Hmm?
""
Despite the pan-European wave of "Obamania," minority groups are still, by and large, on the sidelines of government.
But the Obama story has kept immigrant groups riveted.
""
Riveted indeed.
America is the land of the free, verdad?
Black, mix raced, immigrants can win elections in America.
Is Europe so racist that it can't even conceive of an immigrant leading one of "their" countries.
We'll see.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Obama full page picture on obscure Spanish Newspaper
I'm a fairly savvy guy, but as a test I am going to try to write at
least once a day about EurObama.
least once a day about EurObama.
I'm going to try to base what I write on what I see out in the calle.
Today, on the Madrid metro, a random Spaniard had one of the many
newspapers that they sell over here, and the American president was
the front page story, the front page, and it was a full head shot.
Or glamour shot.
Sadly, I couldn't read the article, but my suspicion was that it was
something similar to what I read in the UK Guardian yesterday.
Maybe Obama will be what we want him to be, and we here in Europe will
finally have a leader in America that we understand. There are claims
that Obama is an intellectual and may meet our standards for
intelligence.
Republicans are dumb right? Pick an unpopular American president (all
Republicans) and they are all dumb.
Dwight Eisenhower (old, odd, harmless (but thanks for saving our
continent Ike)
Richard Nixon (ugly, strange, secretive, paranoid, banished (but, wow,
nice work with China)
Gerald Ford (slow, bumbling, idiot, Chevy Chase)
Ronald Reagan (B-actor, out of touch, old, blind, not smart)
George Bush (41) (boring)
George Bush (43) (cowboy, dumb, unilateral, buffoon)
It is no wonder that Europeans don't understand American Politics, if
all they (we) read, see or consume is the worldwide media, Hollywood
and the Internet.
If a Democrat wins, he is the saviour and bringer of liberty, justice
and happiness.
If a Republican wins, he got lucky, had great advisors, or exploited
circumstance to slide in.
Don Obama, please, find a way to lead the country the way it needs to
be led, and ignore those of us that see American from a distance.
Ojala!
Technorati Tags:
election, EU, eurobama, obama, prediction, Spain, politics
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Obama has European Ideals. Finally an American we can understand.
"" Nor is that radicalism simply the inspirational lead of one man. What is so remarkable about the Obama victory is that it has exposed that there is an America quite different from the one we had always assumed, and one that is more compatible than we thought with European ideals. ""
Que chocante! An American that maybe we can get along with.
Read the full article
Que chocante! An American that maybe we can get along with.
Read the full article
MTV Europe et al, loves Obama. Surprise!
""Paul McCartney may have been crowned a legend and Britney Spears named Act of the Year but it was President-elect Barack Obama who stole the show at last night’s European MTV awards.
Obama fever dominated the 15th MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony at the Liverpool Echo Arena, with artists competing in their tributes to the future US leader. ""
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5106104.ece
Expectations couldn't be any higher I suppose.
This quote here:
"" And McCartney, who picked up MTV’s one-off Ultimate Legend Award, closed his acceptance speech by thanking “everyone in America for voting in Mr Obama” ""
Also shows an interesting viewpoint. The concept of "everyone" is tough to call. That almost sounds like if someone didn't vote for Obama, they aren't in, from or part of America. (at least the part of America that Europe likes)
Or it could be that Sir Paul is generalizing and not actually saying what he knows to be true.
This is Us-vs.-Them-ism at it's best, and made richer by the fact that the "Us" in the Obama crowd includes several million extranjeros.
Obama fever dominated the 15th MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony at the Liverpool Echo Arena, with artists competing in their tributes to the future US leader. ""
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5106104.ece
Expectations couldn't be any higher I suppose.
This quote here:
"" And McCartney, who picked up MTV’s one-off Ultimate Legend Award, closed his acceptance speech by thanking “everyone in America for voting in Mr Obama” ""
Also shows an interesting viewpoint. The concept of "everyone" is tough to call. That almost sounds like if someone didn't vote for Obama, they aren't in, from or part of America. (at least the part of America that Europe likes)
Or it could be that Sir Paul is generalizing and not actually saying what he knows to be true.
This is Us-vs.-Them-ism at it's best, and made richer by the fact that the "Us" in the Obama crowd includes several million extranjeros.
Europeans love Obama and America too!
This seems to be the case. It may be that they can't even conceive of supporting a Republican, but since Obama is such a star, he is super popular over here.
It seems that Europeans are wigged out by Bush in a number of ways. Forget the war, his being Texas and all the rest. One of the big things they can't grok is that it seems that Bush actually believes what he is saying, and has convictions that he is not willing to change.
This is revolutionary.
Governments in the EU are run by parties and if a party becomes unpopular, the party will fall, the government will fail, the prime minister or president will resign and new elections will fall. This can happen based on opinion, circumstance, or just bad luck. If in Spain, Zapatero is still in power, but if he did something really stupid, there would be demonstraciones here, and he may just quit.
American politics doesn't work like that. Only under really INCREDIBLE pressure would an American president ever quit.
Another weird thing is that the American president does not necessarily do what the "People" think he should do. This is a great feature of American politics. The president is elected by earning the trust of the people as the better man of the two running. From then on, he has 4 years to try to succeed.
Presidents like Clinton tried to do what the people "Wanted" and was famous for never making a decision without taking a poll, or doing a focus group.
Bush does none of that, and like Papa Bush and Reagan before him, has core beliefs that don't change with circumstance. This belief in truth, untruth and conviction puts him at odds with those that believe in get-along-ism and the lack of inherent anything.
The press everywhere sweats Obama. He won. He now has an opportunity and window of about 6 months before the long knives start to come out.
Let's make some predictions.
With the recent beginning of the transition from President Bush to President Obama, the initiation of national security advisories and a re-aquaintance with the real world after the 20 month campaign for President, Obama will see the world for what it is, and not what it may be.
Yes we can will become "We hope we can"
The troops will stay in Irak until America's interests are completed. (not when the hippies from Telegraph Ave want them home)
The war in Afghanistan will increase.
The economy will right itself, as they huge unknown of who will be president is now gone.
Obama will continue to give lauded speeches and will exhort for change.
Change is slow, but with 1,000,000 media outlets watching, we will continue to watch everything in excruciating detail.
Should be fun.
It seems that Europeans are wigged out by Bush in a number of ways. Forget the war, his being Texas and all the rest. One of the big things they can't grok is that it seems that Bush actually believes what he is saying, and has convictions that he is not willing to change.
This is revolutionary.
Governments in the EU are run by parties and if a party becomes unpopular, the party will fall, the government will fail, the prime minister or president will resign and new elections will fall. This can happen based on opinion, circumstance, or just bad luck. If in Spain, Zapatero is still in power, but if he did something really stupid, there would be demonstraciones here, and he may just quit.
American politics doesn't work like that. Only under really INCREDIBLE pressure would an American president ever quit.
Another weird thing is that the American president does not necessarily do what the "People" think he should do. This is a great feature of American politics. The president is elected by earning the trust of the people as the better man of the two running. From then on, he has 4 years to try to succeed.
Presidents like Clinton tried to do what the people "Wanted" and was famous for never making a decision without taking a poll, or doing a focus group.
Bush does none of that, and like Papa Bush and Reagan before him, has core beliefs that don't change with circumstance. This belief in truth, untruth and conviction puts him at odds with those that believe in get-along-ism and the lack of inherent anything.
The press everywhere sweats Obama. He won. He now has an opportunity and window of about 6 months before the long knives start to come out.
Let's make some predictions.
With the recent beginning of the transition from President Bush to President Obama, the initiation of national security advisories and a re-aquaintance with the real world after the 20 month campaign for President, Obama will see the world for what it is, and not what it may be.
Yes we can will become "We hope we can"
The troops will stay in Irak until America's interests are completed. (not when the hippies from Telegraph Ave want them home)
The war in Afghanistan will increase.
The economy will right itself, as they huge unknown of who will be president is now gone.
Obama will continue to give lauded speeches and will exhort for change.
Change is slow, but with 1,000,000 media outlets watching, we will continue to watch everything in excruciating detail.
Should be fun.
Technorati Tags:
election, EU, eurobama, obama, prediction
Friday, November 7, 2008
Bravo, Federico Fellini
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