Obama conquers Europe

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-07-25 02:15pm

Hm, what kinds of crowds did the pope draw in Australia during his recent trip?

200,000.

Hitler! HITLER!!

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2008-07-25 02:17pm

You have to admit, this idea of demonizing the image of cheering crowds is a pretty clever way to support a wildly unpopular sitting president and a presidential candidate who has the inspirational power of actuarial tables.

Darth Onasi · Post by **Darth Onasi** » 2008-07-25 02:27pm

Oh my, Ben "No Logic Allowed" Stein making more baseless, idiotic claims that make him look like a retarded turnip?
Colour me shocked.

hongi · Post by **hongi** » 2008-07-25 03:12pm

I don't think this is worth a new thread so I'll just say it here. Someone took Obama's prayer from the Western Wall and a newspaper published it. That's low. Really low. He's a candidate yeah, but he's also got a right to privacy.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2008-07-25 03:48pm

Seems like he got a bit of a smack-down from Merkel for trying to do his speech at Brandenburg Square. Surprised she dared to stand up to him when this candidate is attracting far larger crowds than she ever has done.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2008-07-25 04:47pm

Ubiquitous wrote:Seems like he got a bit of a smack-down from Merkel for trying to do his speech at Brandenburg Square. Surprised she dared to stand up to him when this candidate is attracting far larger crowds than she ever has done.

He wanted to speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate, and several people thought that this place is not right for mere candidates to speak at, but for real Presidents and heads of state.
For one, she actually is an elected head of state, and has dealt with bigger fish than Obama actually is (currently). I doubt that she is "scared" of "standing up" to Obama...
Secondly, what should be number of people have to do with it? It's not like they're chosing their vote over a discussion about the place of a speech for a foreign election candidate.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2008-07-25 10:51pm

Darth Onasi wrote:
Dahak wrote:
Shroom Man 777 wrote:When a quarter million foreigners gather en mass to listen to Obama, how can anyone criticize him on the grounds of "foreign policy"?
Because it's just a nice tour around the world with a good speech in Berlin. He didn't "do" foreign policy.
A good first step in foreign policy is to get the foreign people to actually like you; this is a concept W. Bush wouldn't understand if you beat it into him with a lead pipe. Obama whoever demonstrates he does, and that can only be good.

He had all the foreign support he could have possibly wanted at the end of 2001. Pissing all that away and arriving at a state where international antipathy has never been higher in such a short space of time is really quite an impressive feat.

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2008-07-26 02:13am

His popularity is a clear sign that he's the Antichrist, no?

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2008-07-26 02:19am

That reminds me.

I was at this dinner party with relatives, uncles and aunties, and their friends from America. The discussion ended up in politics, and my 16-year old cousin said that the Book of Revelations predicts that the world will end when a black man, like Obama, is elected as President of the USA.

My face kind of contorted itself into a weird(er) look. Everyone else at the table just lapped it up. Because they're good Christians.

So, I guess this explains the scientific rationale of some of those virulently anti-Obama people...

[Actually, my cousin wants Obama to be elected for that reason...]

Winston Blake · Post by **Winston Blake** » 2008-07-26 03:04am

Galvatron wrote:His popularity is a clear sign that he's the Antichrist, no?

OK, let me tally it up here. He's an Anti-American Muslim Nazi Socialist Terrorist Antichrist, probably with bad breath, and people should vote for him in order to hasten the End of the World. Is that just about it?

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2008-07-26 03:07am

Shroom Man 777 wrote:That reminds me.

I was at this dinner party with relatives, uncles and aunties, and their friends from America. The discussion ended up in politics, and my 16-year old cousin said that the Book of Revelations predicts that the world will end when a black man, like Obama, is elected as President of the USA.

My face kind of contorted itself into a weird(er) look. Everyone else at the table just lapped it up. Because they're good Christians.

So, I guess this explains the scientific rationale of some of those virulently anti-Obama people...

[Actually, my cousin wants Obama to be elected for that reason...]

Oh, thank the heavens! I thought I was alone...

My wife's father seems to be of a similar opinion, except instead of a fundie, he's a racist douchebag. Jews destroyed the WTC and goddamned niggers, Obama will destroy America and they better shoot him before the election...the works.

Fortunately (kind of), he's not a rabid racist douchebag, so this doesn't come up often, but damn...I had to walk out of two family dinners so far in order to avoid a gigantic fight (one was his birthday,another was his wife's birthday).

hongi · Post by **hongi** » 2008-07-26 03:08am

Winston Blake wrote:
Galvatron wrote:His popularity is a clear sign that he's the Antichrist, no?
OK, let me tally it up here. He's an Anti-American Muslim Nazi Socialist Terrorist Antichrist, probably with bad breath, and people should vote for him in order to hasten the End of the World. Is that just about it?

You forgot he's black.

CaptainZoidberg · Post by **CaptainZoidberg** » 2008-07-26 11:41am

Shroom Man 777 wrote: I was at this dinner party with relatives, uncles and aunties, and their friends from America. The discussion ended up in politics, and my 16-year old cousin said that the Book of Revelations predicts that the world will end when a black man, like Obama, is elected as President of the USA.

[Actually, my cousin wants Obama to be elected for that reason...]

Well, if the net effect is positive...

Winston Blake · Post by **Winston Blake** » 2008-07-27 05:11am

CaptainZoidberg wrote:
Shroom Man 777 wrote: I was at this dinner party with relatives, uncles and aunties, and their friends from America. The discussion ended up in politics, and my 16-year old cousin said that the Book of Revelations predicts that the world will end when a black man, like Obama, is elected as President of the USA.

[Actually, my cousin wants Obama to be elected for that reason...]
Well, if the net effect is positive...

Doesn't this suggest that McCain would be more popular if he acted more like the Antichrist? Is there some kind of Antichrist Vote to be secured in this election? Perhaps McCain should use a little movie magic to grow seven horns and scaly wings and breathe fire during one of his speeches, and then try to eat a baby only to have it rescued by angels. That's be a crowd pleaser.

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2008-07-27 07:03am

For US conservatives, the fact that Obama is popular in Europe only confirms that he is a communist out to destroy US capitalism and hence turn it into a third world nation. I started to debate this on the HPCA forum (sadly was too busy to continue that one) and the attitude that Europe is a 'communist' sinkhole was quite prevalent there.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2008-07-27 07:11am

It's a poor population, but in various games online, the idea that Europe and places like AU are 'communist' and that Obama is 'communist' is one that is almost ubiquitous.

What's sad is that there are 'Americans' who are prepared to defend their piss-poor understanding of 'communism', so I imagine many people are extremely poorly informed abotu politics and the rest of the world.

Shocking, I know.

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2008-07-28 02:29am

Starglider wrote:For US conservatives, the fact that Obama is popular in Europe only confirms that he is a communist out to destroy US capitalism and hence turn it into a third world nation. I started to debate this on the HPCA forum (sadly was too busy to continue that one) and the attitude that Europe is a 'communist' sinkhole was quite prevalent there.

The hell?

I'd like to see that thread. Unlike them, I live in Europe and know a thing or two about the economic attitudes here

Saxtonite · Post by **Saxtonite** » 2008-07-28 03:23am

PeZook wrote:The hell?

I'd like to see that thread. Unlike them, I live in Europe and know a thing or two about the economic attitudes here

American politics is different. Socialism is still a "dirty" word in the US and IIRC, say Dennis Kucinich would be considered 'moderate' in Europe.

I also found his speech at Berlin interesting. He's trying to do a broad appeal based off how he phrased his speeches.

American Infidel · Post by **American Infidel** » 2008-07-28 04:20am

This speech has too much feel good bullshit and barely any substance at all.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2008-07-28 04:23am

Can you compare and contrast with McCain's speeches to show where Obama goes wrong?

American Infidel · Post by **American Infidel** » 2008-07-28 04:52am

Stark wrote:Can you compare and contrast with McCain's speeches to show where Obama goes wrong?

I don't compare and contrast speeches from different candidates to determine whether one particular speech has enough substance for my liking.

Post by **Edi** » 2008-07-28 04:56am

American Infidel wrote:
Stark wrote:Can you compare and contrast with McCain's speeches to show where Obama goes wrong?
I don't compare and contrast speeches from different candidates to determine whether one particular speech has enough substance for my liking.

Then you could at least give us a breakdown of what was supposedly so bullshit about it? Otherwise your opinion can and will be dismissed as an idiot's worthless blathering.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2008-07-28 05:02am

American Infidel wrote:
Stark wrote:Can you compare and contrast with McCain's speeches to show where Obama goes wrong?
I don't compare and contrast speeches from different candidates to determine whether one particular speech has enough substance for my liking.

"Too much" implies that you're using a baseline standard, and it'd be interesting to know what that standard is.

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2008-07-28 05:17am

The speech basically said: "I care about international politics, unlike certain other people ; Here are the issues that most concern me. If I'm president, the US is going to be nicer, and we made a lot of mistakes along the way which I'd like to apologize for."

What, exactly, defines "substance" in a political speech? He's on a goodwill trip through Europe, with the implied objective of showing McWhine that yes, the commie black guy can do internamational politics, and better than the right.

I would think he's doing just fine at that.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2008-07-28 05:24am

American Infidel wrote:
Stark wrote:Can you compare and contrast with McCain's speeches to show where Obama goes wrong?
I don't compare and contrast speeches from different candidates to determine whether one particular speech has enough substance for my liking.

Then how do you decide ? Consult with the voices in your head regarding who is the better candidate ?