What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn. President Ronald Reagan earned the right to speak there because his relentless pressure had brought the Soviet empire to its knees and
he was demanding its final "tear down this wall" liquidation. When President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate on the day of his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, he was representing a country that was prepared to go to the brink of nuclear war to defend West Berlin.
Who is Obama representing? And what exactly has he done in his lifetime to merit appropriating the Brandenburg Gate as a campaign prop? What was his role in the fight against communism, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the creation of what George Bush the elder -- who presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall but modestly declined to go there for a victory lap -- called "a Europe whole and free"?
Krauthammer could have also said that both Kennedy and Reagan served their country during World War II. Kennedy shunned the advantage a privileged life as the son of an ambassador brought him and put his life in harm's way. Reagan set aside his budding movie career for a new role acting in training videos for the military. Although not a life threatening role as Kennedy's, the actor served the role his country asked of him. Obama can point to no such service for his country.
Krauthammer goes a step further and picks up on the narcissistic nature that many Americans are just now beginning to learn about Obama. Krauthammer wonders how a politician with so little in the way of achievement could have such an inflated opininon of himself:
Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself . . .
Obama may think he's King Canute, but the good king ordered the tides to halt precisely to refute sycophantic aides who suggested that he had such power. Obama has no such modesty.
Krauthammer's closing is perfect. "As he said on victory night, his rise marks the moment when 'our planet began to heal.' As I recall -- I'm no expert on this -- Jesus practiced his healing just on the sick. Obama operates on a larger canvas." Isn't it refreshing to see a Washington pundit with an objective perspective on Obama? This craziness has got to end. Never before has someone so unqualified to be president been elevated to represent so much more than what he truly is.
7 comments:
Obama was not born during WW11 ...how could hehave served....a little common sense in your attacks on Obama could help.
He had no business asking to give a political speech at a historically significant site. The point is that he has no basis for delivering a speech at the site of the former Berlin Wall. If you can't understand that, then you are beyond reasoning with. Never before has a presidential candidate held political rallies oversees as if he was already representing the people of our country. He didn't have to be born during WWII to serve his country.
Unless you consider being on the public dime a service. OOOOPS! My bad he was served as opposed to service
Art, your fudgin'.
You obviously have jumped on the BO soul train, and have no clue as to what Gary is talking about.
I am the same age as BO, and while I did not serve in the military, I did serve with pride as a LEO (8years), child abuse investigator (5 years) and chasing down escapees and wanted persons for 2 years. This service to my community, state and nation cost me two marriages, and a host of physical problems.
One does NOT have to have military experience to have served their country. Being a state senator, or US Senator or a college law professor is NOT serving your fellow citizens. It is pontification and self-aggrandizement, nothing more.
The true leaders of this country are humble men and women, as they have been through out our history. Not some flash in the pan politician who seeks nothing but to make a name and place for him(her)self.
You might want to jump off the train before it pulls into the station and see what the cars passing are really like. Some how I get the feeling that many of them are box cars on the way to the Konzentrationslager of political correctness.
It is reallllly eating away at you isn't it Obama will will per the New Leader of the Free World....and there is nothing you can do to sop it....poor little Republicans...this is the end of Radical Repbulicanism...ahhhhh
shofaar...Working in the trenches of south side Chicago when he could have been pulling down a 7 figure salary from the most prestigous law firms in the country qualifies as service to his county. He was able to do it while maintaining a wonderfully well adjusted family life. I am on the BO train and I will remain there throughout his 8 years of presidency.
Charles Krauthammer? OBJECTIVE? COME ON!
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