"Ich bin ein Berliner", said John F. Kennedy before the German people, and it was a line that shot around the world like a racing bullet, pregnant with good will and good intentions toward the fellow people's of the world by the American's whom JFK represented.

Such a president with that good will and intentions is precisely what America's reputation needs in order to garner the cooperation and assistance it is absolutely going to need to succeed as a nation of the world over the coming decades.

McCain goes overseas many, many times, and comes back with threats toward people's of the world, and little media coverage of so pedestrian an American foreign policy position. Obama goes over once as presidential candidate and gets acclaimed in media around the globe.

Pretty much says it all about which candidate has the personna and gravitas to act as good will ambassador for America, with a powerful stick waiting in the wings if necessary. For the world, McCain does read as more of the same Bush. Obama reads a wind of fresh and healthy air for tackling and solving problems in the world instead of creating them.

Republicans seem to wither and cringe at the thought of negotiation or compromise. They would rather continue with their hard line approach than lose face by admitting that their world affair tactics have been mostly flawed. I haven't yet decided if this is a result of choice or if they simply do not have the capacity for such communication. I know it is a concept foreign to neo-cons, but surely not all republicans can be considered neo-cons. Never the less their refusal to see our problems as the problems of the world and vice versa is a flawed nuance which limits their capacity to grow with a new world society. Like it or not at some point they will have to drop the hard nosed, play yard bully tactics and deal with the rest of the world. We will not be successful in attempts to rule the world. Common sense dictates that we must learn to live with the world rather than manipulate it.

Times and ways are changing rapidly in the face of energy needs and the ability to meet those needs. It will take a world effort to address the issues of energy, hunger, health and environment. Nafta and the G8 have served to bring us and the rest of the world into a global society. This can not be denied. The result is that we must show as much responsibility to the needs of others as they must to us. Republicans seem to struggle with this concept. They want the profits that go along with the world economy, yet they would rather avoid the resultant problems. That is unless they can manage a profit while doing so. I think maybe they can be considered ethically challenged.

Like we should give two bits for what the Germans think. Pandering to socialists who are reeling under their own pathetic multiculturalism policies, especially when it comes to foreign policy, is ridiculous. Beware of anyone who keeps harping about "the common good" because it is statism in disguise.

Gee, Huntwork, sour grapes?

David M: Like we should give two bits for what the Germans think.

Spoken like a true neo-con. A classic example of old attitudes not in keeping with current day world necessity. We are no longer the only beacon in the ocean. The days of isolating ourselves from the rest of the world are over. It is a situation we played part in creating. Now we must evolve with it.

Yes, whatever would we do without the Germans cheerleading our polices? The days of isolationism are over? What isolationism? Good grief, we've had far more entangling alliance and broad coalitions for the last several wars than we ever had before. The old Cold War alliances are being altered as we fashion new alliances for a new century. It is up to the Germans as to whether they want to step up and defend themselves and the free world from Islamic fundamentalism, rogue regimes and nuclear proliferation. If not, get out of the way. Pandering to them should have no place in the past, present or future.

I for one do not overly wring my hands and fret over what the French or Germans may think of the United States. I welcome there frienship and support, but it is up to them to decide to join with us or not.

You might enjoy reading my '03 article titled New Alliances for a New Century:

http://www.americandaily.com/article/2318

In the London Times, Gerard Baker writes a satirical report of Obama’s European tour, mocking the fauning Obama press coverage.

And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece

That's funny, David H. You are aware, aren't you, that Jesus was mocked and made light of too, in his day, as a bible thumping hack.

Gandhi was mocked as the Fakir in a loin cloth.

What are opponents to do with those who would bring about better circumstances when doing so might diminish their own, but, to mock and ridicule.

One can, and should, critique Obama on the strengths and weaknesses of his policy platform issues. Same for McCain. But, to mock or ridicule their strengths is the act of desperate minorities running out of strategy to fight a growing popular figure. I think Rocky had the right words, sounds like "sour grapes".

There is nothing messianic in Obama. He is a politician. And as a politician seeking support from a vast number of disparate interest groups, his positions are going to offend some regardless of what those positions are. Same is true of McCain. In the end, the candidate that can inspire support on the most issues from the most people, will win the popular vote.

McCain's repetitive stump speeches are anchored in Bush's fiscal and tax policies and miltarism, repeated ad nauseum, Mon thru Fri (he doesn't work on weekends) on the campaign trail replete with inaccuracies and misunderstandings like Iraq bordering Pakistan.

Obama is not without his own gaffes, but, his range of issues is very much broader, and unlike McCain who is tethered to his conservative base in order to win, Obama is free to seek support across the board from independents, Democrats, Republicans, and third party folks, and can win even by alienating some on the extreme left.

McCain cannot win the popular vote without conservative wing of his party. This math is becoming self evident to many. And the fact that Obama can draw the crowds he does wherever he goes, and McCain's crowds are paltry at best (consisting of primarily wealthy folks and die hard Republicans whose registered voter numbers are less than Democrats or Independent voters), leaves Obama's critics with satire, mockery, and humor as the only strategy left them to combat his growing popularity.

No knew Obama's name 19 months ago. Today the world knows his name and is increasingly liking the man as the next president of the U.S. A president who appeals to the world, is going to have world support and that is good for Americans and America. McCain's popularity overseas is less than Bush's and that's really, really bad.

It is a mistake to underestimate the importance of a presidential candidate's regard overseas.

David M

What isolationism?

The metaphorical isolationism that is bought about by the claim that we can ignore the ideologies of the rest of the world. As though our ideologies are the only ones that matter. As though the rest of the world must lie in wait, subservient to our ideologies. As though there is to be no ideological parity between us and everyone else. It is that ideological arrogance which your ilk espouses that grows cynicism and hatred of American ideals around the world. It is a selfish, self serving and shallow trait. An antiquated trait which does not work well in todays world.

Just for the record, and for clarification for the non-Christians amongst us, Jesus was not "mocked and made light of too, in his day, as a bible thumping hack."

And does anyone really buy into the concept of "ideological parity" between America and the rest of the world? Good grief, I nope not.