Before moving on from “Barack Obama's Magical Media Tour” of the past week, a look at an Associated Press story so over the top that the Washington Posts's Howard Kurtz on Friday cited it as an example of coverage which “bordered on gushing,” though in this case there really was no “bordered.” In the July 22 dispatch in advance of Obama's arrival in Berlin, “Obamamania in full flight ahead of tour of Europe,” the AP's Matt Moore and Melissa Eddy hailed how Obama's “superstar charisma” will meet “German adoration” with a promise to “redeem” America (as posted by Google, by Yahoo):
Europe is about to give Barack Obama one of the grandest of stages for statesmanship. In this city where John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton all made famous speeches, Obama will find himself stepping into perhaps another iconic moment Thursday as his superstar charisma meets German adoration live in shadows of the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate. He then travels to Paris and London where he can expect to be greeted with similar adulation.It's not only Obama's youth, eloquence and energy that have stolen hearts across the Atlantic. For Europeans, there have always been two Americas: one of cynicism, big business and bullying aggression, another of freedom, fairness and nothing-is-impossible dynamism.
If President Bush has been seen as the embodiment of that first America, Obama has raised expectations of a chance for the nation to redeem itself in the role that — at various times through history — Europe has loved, respected and relied upon....
That AP story was posted under the original headline by USAToday.com (but did not appear in the newspaper) and under more gushing sub-heads on MSNBC.com (“Obamamania in full flight before Europe tour: Candidate's charisma and policies capture hearts across the Atlantic”) and CBSNews.com: “Obamamania In Full Flight Ahead of Tour of Europe: Obama to Bask In Europe's Adulation Amid Hopes for New Era In America Politics.”)
Later in their story, Moore and Eddy stressed how it is Obama's “anti-Bush” image which makes him so popular in Europe:
....But there appears to be a deeper mechanism behind Europe's palpable excitement over Obama than just a break from the acrimonious Bush years. After all, it's difficult to imagine the continent being swept by "Clinton-mania" or "Edwards-mania" had one of Obama's main rivals for the Democratic nomination prevailed.For Europeans, perhaps, it isn't just that Obama isn't Bush but that he's come to be seen as the "anti-Bush" — a figure who represents such a startling contrast to the outgoing president that there's a sense the whole Washington power structure might be purged of much that Europeans see as wrong with American leadership....
Kurtz's Friday, July 25 "Style" section article, "Obama Abroad: We Get the Picture; The Candidate Looked Good This Week. Did the Press?"
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Comments Policy
Same Old Story
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 19:40 ET by allanfIt is the same old story ====
.. the Europeans will love us - but will they respect us in the morning?
Surrender
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:27 ET by ScrapironAnd if Russia wants to reassemble the USSR, including taking back half of Germany, Hussein O will not stand in the way and the democrats will not object, surrender and cowardance is now part of their makeup. Let Russia have the traitors back, they know how to handle them with a wall and real bullets.
Old, Retired and glad of it.
nobama gets 10 point boost h/t drudge, just for leaving USA
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:27 ET by upcountrywaterSo 90 dazes from now, oobama man leaves USA .. gets boost in the poles. ZAP... CIC...
Juan Mc RINO , By an Act of God, may get a Swiftboat bump.
And then we will know if we are a Nation under God, or just a nation gone under..
What do you mean redeemed?
what do you think of ; when you think of pinto ?
horse ,beans or car ?
Liberals62%
IranianUranium 6,000
Redeem:
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:29 ET by ThisnThatTo make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.)
So, according to Obama: America is so bad that it has to bow down and kiss the feet of Europeans?
And what, exactly, has America done wrong? Oh, I get it -- we are on the verge of establishing a country (Iraq) that, on its own free will, will become a country that abides by the rule of law and that is favorably disposed towards the U.S.
And we are the beacon of freedom and prosperity for the entire planet.
And we have a President who doesn't make decisions based upon opinion polls -- he makes decisions based upon what's good for this country.
Just a few of the things that Socialist Obama can't stand.
Hey Obama, kiss my a$$.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
I Doubt Iraq will remain a place of freedom for long
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:43 ET by Daniel BakerMidddle East Peace is impossible
John McCain 2008 Protect Traditional Marriage
Traditional Marriage is not "Divisive" Obama.
ThisnThat
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:58 ET by MrShy"And we are the beacon of freedom and prosperity for the entire planet."
Amen!
And in response to Daniel, right above me.....
"To dreeeeeam, the impossible dreeeeeeam...."
(-- as my dad would sing in the shower. :))
* * * SOCKS THE CAT '08 * * *
For REAL Change
Hey look I know it's been
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:52 ET by BlazerHey look I know it's been awhile, but we liberated Europe from the bondages of fascism twice, rebuilt them and then freed them from the chains Communist oppression all within a century.
Just who needs to do the redeeming here?
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Problem Blazer...some people in Europe don't recognize it
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 21:44 ET by JayTeeWe are doing to Iraq, what we did for France, Germany, Poland, Italy, etc...."freed from the chains of Hitler/Communism"
We, the United States of America are giving the "Country" back to the Iraqi People. Same with Afghanistan.
Most young people in Europe do not recognize where their Freedom came from. Out of sight, Out of Mind, Out of Obama's Consciousness.
Obama's European tour does NOT matter....for American Votes. People will fill up with $4.00 Gas tomorrow, and suddenly change t he Subject.
His lack of a Hospital tour of injured Americans in Germany, is gonna turn some Poll numbers. He traded a chance to see a few injured War verterans, for a chance to talk to 200,000 Germans. That is the SIN of omission by the MSM.....don't bother to mention that.
As soon as Obama learns American Soldiers can VOTE...he's going ask for a Delay in bringing them Home before Sept.
The Republican Revolution will not be Televised
First of all, there's only
Sun, 07/27/2008 - 21:31 ET by JerryFirst of all, there's only ONE Redeemer, and it certainly isn't Obama.
Secondly... America is not in need of any redemption from freaking Europeans.
Lastly, what in the heck is Obama parading around all over the world acting like the freaking President? He is a part-time SENATOR from one of our 57 states. There are 99 (or 113) more just like him. I must have missed the memo where he was annointed as supreme galactic emperor.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
270 vs 277
Mon, 07/28/2008 - 01:45 ET by UnsaneNot only is Obama NOT the President, it will be harder for him to get elected. McCain needs 270 electoral votes whereas Obama needs 277.
Whoever casts a vote for Barack Obama is nothing more than a common thief. Whoever fails to vote against him is nothing more than a moral coward.
What Redemption?
Mon, 07/28/2008 - 13:31 ET by Kirk TurnerWhat does redemption mean to Europeans in general and AP's Matt Moore and Melissa Eddy in particular?
Well, it would mean a massive top-heavy government that dictates the personal lives of its citizens. Consequently, "redemption" would mean many more Americans losing control to a government that, if similar to the Social Democracies in Europe, would slowly bankrupt our country economically, spritually, and intellectually.
Redemption would mean a population with declining birth rates due to the hopelessness inherent in a government system that respects class more than ambition.
Redemption would mean a meek, weak, limp-wristed foreign policy that would metaphorically affix a "kick me" sign on the backside of America
Redemption would mean a socialist economy that would facilitate the demise of our strong capitalist economy.
Redemption would mean an intellectual climate in which all views are valid, except those of the half of the population that didn't vote for Obama. In particular, redemption would mean the transfer of power from voters to "experts" and elites who would run the country as they do in Europe.
Liberals have always asserted that they love America, but much like the Europeans and the AP's Matt Moore and Melissa Eddy, what they love is a "redeemed" America as briefly described above.
What they love about America is the possiblity of a left-wing America--fueled by the theft of the treasure trove of all time, the hard-earned money of hard-working American achievers. Much like Obama, they're ready not only to spread it around to non-achieving Americans, but to the world as well.
They only have one obstacle left; those of us who won't go quietly. Those of us who kept voting for Reagan even though the press vilified him; those of us who held our nose and voted for Bush the elder, then believed in Bush the younger.
America needs no redemption except in the opinion of its enemies. Remember all those soldiers who died fighting against Hitler, N. Korea, and Vietnam? Redemption is voting for the style of government that we fought AGAINST for a hundred years. Redemption mocks the sacrifice of all those who died fighting Socialism, hundreds of thousands of Americans who died to protect "our way of life," which is capitalism, not socialism.
Just because Europe has laid down, turned over and let Socialism ravage the best it had to offer, who should we? Why should we just give up and join the suicide pact because the media thinks socialism is cool? Socialism is a dark, soulless way of life. It kills cultures; it has NEVER worked. Socialism is the dead giveaway of a culture in decline.
Capitalism is better. Move along--no redemption needed here.