I feel incredibly out-of-step with everyone in the Dkos community right now. Diary after diary about the speech in Berlin, and the comments are piling up in Al Roger's lovely picture-diary which shot to the top of the Rec List.
Meanwhile...
Did this speech earn Barack even a SINGLE vote? Did anyone who wasn't already voting for him decide to vote for him? Did the speech help shore up his areas of weakness--namely national security and the ability to be commander in chief? Did it continue the good work of his trips to Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan?
OR, did it provide Mccain with a chance to talk some more about which one is more American. He already did so in his interview with Brian Williams for tonight--expressing that he would rather give that sort of speech as President than as a candidate. Did it give Fox News and their ilk some sound bytes that they will just love--Barack Obama, son of a Kenyan, who grew up in Indonesia, possible secret Muslim...declaring himself " a citizen of the world"...in front of a crowd of adoring Germans?
And heck, I agree with Mccain. Why exactly is Barack Obama giving this speech, when he isn't even President yet. Why is he trolling for votes in Germany?? For what possible reason?
If that's what's on MY mind, and I'm as strong of an Obama supporter as you can find anywhere, someone who genuinely adores him and thinks very highly of him...if I think that he's being arrogant, then what must the folks in Florida and Ohio be thinking???
This trip has been fantastic. But this speech is a setback. It was overkill. Heck, I think the trip, in general, has now entered overkill mode. He should come home instead of going off to Paris and London.
It feels like liberals always forget that not everyone sees things the way that we do. And those folks are the one we have to win over. They are the ones that vote. And they are the reason that Obama is a scant 4 points ahead in the polls.
Anyway, I guess I am feeling mighty frustrated.