Obama Hits a Wall! Will Media Highlight MAJOR Obama Gaffe in Berlin Speech?

Obama Hits a Wall! Will Media Highlight MAJOR Obama Gaffe in Berlin Speech?

By Warner Todd Huston (Bio | Archive)
July 24, 2008 - 23:38 ET

Obama's speech today in Berlin, hailed as a "major" address, has at least one major, glaring error that shows that nether Obama nor his handlers and speech writers were thoroughly familiar with the facts. Obama's main theme was about the "walls" that separate all of us one from another. He claims that many of these "walls" have been taken down and hails that as progress. But in at least one instance he is wrong. In fact more walls have been built where Obama claimed they were taken down.

First the relevant section of Obama's misconception (my bold for emphasis):

The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand. The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down.

We know they have fallen before. After centuries of strife, the people of Europe have formed a Union of promise and prosperity. Here, at the base of a column built to mark victory in war, we meet in the center of a Europe at peace. Not only have walls come down in Berlin, but they have come down in Belfast, where Protestant and Catholic found a way to live together; in the Balkans, where our Atlantic alliance ended wars and brought savage war criminals to justice; and in South Africa, where the struggle of a courageous people defeated apartheid.

(Full Obama speech transcript here.)

Obama claims that the walls built to separate Protestant from Catholic have come down in Belfast. Well, in fact, they have not. In reality MORE ARE BEING BUILT all the time.

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As a May 5th USA Today story chronicles, "Ten years after peace was declared in Northern Ireland, one might have expected that Belfast's barriers would be torn down by now. But reality, as usual, is far messier. Not one has been dismantled. Instead they've grown in both size and number."

Ronald Reagan was able to get Mr. Gorbechev to tear down those walls, but it seems Mr. Obama can't even get it straight if they exist or not!

So, where is the fawning, sycophantic media to lambast Obama's ignorance here?

I won't hold my breath.

(H/T Freeper drill_Anwr)

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When he refers to a "wall"

July 24, 2008 - 23:41 ET by robert108

When he refers to a "wall" between Muslim and Jew, and says "we" have to tear it down, maybe he's making a Freudian slip. It's up to the Muslims to tear down that "wall", isn't it? Maybe he's including himself in the Muslim group. Just a thought...

This "walls" theme is such

July 25, 2008 - 00:05 ET by marvl

This "walls" theme is such an obvious ripoff of Reagan's famous line from his speech in Berlin in 1987. It was also why he originally wanted to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, site of Reagan's speech.

I think he would even have liked to repeat the line, as in "Mr. Medevedev, tear down this wall." Alas, "The O" has no idea who is president of Russia (he'd look great on a Jaywalking segment), and there is no wall to be torn down. Indeed, there are very few walls worth tearing down, even those of a metaphoric sense.

But, it's a great idea in case he ever visits China: "Mr. Jiabao, tear down this great wall." It would be a wall in keeping with "The O's" image of himself.

You hit it right on the

July 26, 2008 - 02:59 ET by Rukus

You hit it right on the head. There are no "walls". He is ripping off Reagan. How hollow is that? MSM pass? That's a givin'. Good point Marv. Why am I up at 0300? Sheesh! Go figure...

"Nuke 'em 'til they... oh hell, just shoot 'em!"

Not surprisingly, Obama

July 25, 2008 - 00:17 ET by motherbelt

Not surprisingly, Obama sought to limit comparisons to famous speeches
that Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan made in Berlin during
the Cold War.

"They were presidents, I am a citizen," he said

That was after he tried to use the site of Reagan's "Tear down this wall!" speech as a campaign prop for his speech on metaphorical "walls." (would have been a terrific effect!)

And he thinks he has the standing to meet with Merkel and other heads of state.

His false modesty is becoming a parody of itself. He is full of himself and it shows. I hope the more he goes around posing, the more people will see his presumptuousness, and realize that it really IS all about HIM.

PS: I notice he didn't talk about any "walls" coming down here in the USA....I guess we haven't made any progress at all.....

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson

motherbelt, I hope the MSM elevates this clown even higher.

July 25, 2008 - 00:28 ET by R D Helm

The higher they build this guy, the harder he is going to crash to the ground. The MSM is overplaying its hand promoting this wholly unqualified former state senator in a really big way. Problem is (for them) they are too stupid to recognize their mistake.

It is only a matter of time.

With any luck, when the "boy messiah" comes crashing back to Earth, he will land squarely on the head and shoulders of Juan McClame.

Thus solving two problems at once. :-)

The truth is insensitive. - Neal Boortz

RD Helm

July 25, 2008 - 00:29 ET by candance

I actually have a friend in England and she can't stand Obama. She says something about him makes her skin crawl, and the more I tell her how things progress the more worried she becomes.

And this is an ultra lib who hates Bush.

He doesn't have everyone fooled like he thinks he does.

candance,

July 25, 2008 - 00:50 ET by R D Helm

I think that between now and November, we who truly love this country and are rightly concerned about the dwindling freedoms we enjoy herein, are going to find out just what type of country we truly reside in.

I hope for the best, but I honestly cannot say I expect same.

The truth is insensitive. - Neal Boortz

candance

July 25, 2008 - 01:20 ET by DoktorFranken

"
He doesn't have everyone fooled like he thinks he does."

Alas, all he needs is most of the media - and that is a powerful segment to fool.

<<"They were presidents, I

July 25, 2008 - 00:43 ET by Seabeach4348

<<"They were presidents, I am a citizen,">>

And I'm hoping and praying that you remain just that, BHO, a citizen! Nothing could be better for all 57 United States.

You can live out your days here as a professional community organizer.

How's that?!

Good catch

July 25, 2008 - 00:09 ET by Dr_Liberty

As a former Catholic who is now a Protestant, I wouldn't have caught that one.

I guess you could add to the list all those Jersey barriers that are going up on highways all over the country.

Jersey barriers

July 25, 2008 - 07:16 ET by AmericanEnergist

Hi Doc,

After creating the 'Jersey barriers', the state of NJ has gone crazy building sound barriers for the past 20 years:

http://www.fhwa.dot....

And they are FUGLY!

;-)

www.ArmchairEnergist...

rubs forehead in irritation

July 25, 2008 - 00:23 ET by candance

I guess Obama figures since Clinton got them all to sign that there Good Friday Agreement the friction was gone.

Nevermind the fact that a standoff is brewing as we speak between Sinn Fein and the DUP, and the IRA was accused of spying on Protestant leaders as recent as 2004.

Does Obama even try to pay attention to the world around him?

I'm curious as to his thoughts on the Berlin Wall

July 25, 2008 - 00:55 ET by Carl Kolchak

I'm curious to know if he thinks the West were the bad guys in regards to the Berlin Wall. Never mind that the East Germans built it, or instructed their guards to shoot and kill people if they tried to escape to the West, what I really want to know is if he thinks the US were the bad guys. Never mind that people wanted to try Honecker for crimes against humanity when the Berlin Wall came down, or that West German terrorists were being harbored in East Germany, or the Stasi spied on their citizens and made sure everyone was not being disobedieant to the Totalitarian State. I just want to know if he thinks the East Germans were the good guys or not.

“The Wall will be standing in 50 and even in 100 years, if the reasons for it are not removed." Erich Honecker

Did you know that Honecker

July 25, 2008 - 02:45 ET by BAUHAUS

Did you know that Honecker said on 15th July 1961: "No one has the intention to build a wall."

A few months later, on 13th August 1961 Berlin was divided.

"day dreamer"

July 25, 2008 - 01:14 ET by wdhorning

There are two ways to prevent war:

1) find common ground

2) when common ground cannot be found (a frequent fact of life), then walls must be built to stop the violence between two peoples.

So it is in Ireland, so it is in Israel, so it is in many other places, and in some locations, it is simply brute police force and strong armies that act as walls.

There are walls going up where walls are needed, since those on one side and/or the other do not always want to listen to the calls for unity and common ground. It is just a fact of life.

Of course we would all like to see the walls come down and all have things in common, but the reality is that selected large populations of the world simply do not agree with this principle and want "blood" and all the diplomacy in the world cannot change that. It is like negotiating with a suicidal hostage taker (just your regular crimmial type). Some will come to their senses and give it up, others will not and kill cops and/or their hostages, and if the hostage taker lives, he goes behind another kind of "wall" known as a prison wall.

In any case, it will probably not be until Jesus Christ Himself reigns that there will be no more walls. ("They will beat their swords into plowshares.") This is because sin is like a disease without a cure (save in Christ) and sin leads to whole segments of world populations with armies warring with each other for dozens of reasons, which no amount of diplomacy will ever fix.

bingo

July 25, 2008 - 08:54 ET by OklahomaIsShapedFunny

This is the part of his gaffe-ing and misunderstanding that chills me the most. There is not evil or sinfulness in his worldview.

American Journalists are Trampling the Sacrifice

July 25, 2008 - 06:09 ET by ZachJonesIsHome

Obama the Global savior can only be created by the media.

American Journalists
are Trampling the Sacrifice of Our Fathers, Mothers, Sisters and Brothers

(Unfortunately, the
Journalists taking part in this travesty far outnumber the headstones at Normandy) from
zachjonesishome.wordpress.com
Specifically:

http://zachjonesisho...

zachjonesishome.wordpress.com

Walls. Let's bring 'em all

July 25, 2008 - 06:55 ET by BuxomAnnieMcGreggor

Walls. Let's bring 'em all down. That's good "0" man... that's good! Why don't you show us the way by first bringing down the wall between your view of the world, and the reality of the world! I totally agree with RDHelm's response to motherbelt above. The press has built this guy up and propped this guy up so high.... it must be hard to breath at that altitude (which might explain why he looks to be believing his own CRAP). The FALL is going to be fast and hard. The impact will be devistating for "0". The press will jump ship faster than rats and will never return to him, as just the mere mentioning of his name will remind the public how partial the press can be. I suppose the almost obligatory character distruction will follow, only to serve as cover for the press's obvious fornicatious behavior with him.

I loath the press! For me, this election takes on a nuance that I failed to foresee at the beginning of this election cycle. I will be voting for J. McCain not as the lesser of two evils and not because I think he's the greatest candidate that conservatives have to offer. I will gladly cast my vote for J. McCain just for the simple pleasure of pissing off the freakin' press.

Heilige Scheiße! How do you turn this damned thing off? -J. Robert Oppenheimer

Let's start with the wall

July 25, 2008 - 07:26 ET by pbanks7

Let's start with the wall between us G-D Americans and the oppressed people of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Most, if not all, of the successes he pontificated about yesterday were possible in spite of, not because of, liberal policies. So on this entire trip, he has been taking advantage of the successes of policies he has stood against.

He is a greenhorn, a cult of personality, an empty suit, a jelly donut.

Maybe the facade is starting to peel. The Perky One on SeeBS actually asked him tough questions and persisted when he gave a mealy-mouthed answer regarding the success of the surge. Even some in the MSM have recognized the success of the surge, but not the Obamessiah.

"Tear down the wall! Tear down the wall!" - Pink Floyd

I have a slogan...

July 25, 2008 - 07:01 ET by AmericanEnergist

Mr. Obama, as hard as he tries, is nothing more than the dummy of a ventriloquist - using symbols and hyperbole. He invokes the speeches of Reagan and Kennedy - both coming at pivotal times in world history - but his words are still hollow. JFK and Reagan did not need a teleprompter to be charismatic. Still, the throngs follow him more like he's a rock star than a true leader of state.

I wanted to suggest a slogan for a plackard in Germany, but they were banned (my apologies to my German-speaking relatives):

STIERSCHEISE
DEN WIR INNEN GLAUBEN KONNEN

(B.S. we can believe in)

Even Hitler said "What luck for rulers, that men do not think." (h/t www.AmericanThinker....)

Well, I have faith in Americans...that we are smart enough to know when we're being played by a snake oil salesman.

www.ArmchairEnergist...

I have my own slogan as of

July 25, 2008 - 07:34 ET by BuxomAnnieMcGreggor

I have my own slogan as of today..... " 'F' the press, vote for John McCain!"

Give the MSM the middle finger.... vote for John McCain! - BuxomAnnieMcGreggor

That is another perfect

July 25, 2008 - 10:34 ET by red_dragon311

That is another perfect bumper sticker for McCain

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Gerald Ford

Change

July 25, 2008 - 07:20 ET by cocodrie

The only way to tear down the wall between Islam and all other religions is for everyone to give up their religion and convert to Islam. It is written in the koran that every muslim is to kill every christian and jew he can find. The koran also states that muslims are to use every means to destroy us, namely, torture, lies, robbery, rape, to name a few. Barack Hussein did attend muslim schools and mosques, and anti-white churches. The church he attended preached everything anti christian - homosexuality, hatred, abortion, etc. Barack Hussein wants to change this country into a muslim hellhole where , Wright [he does not merit the title Rev.], Farahkan, Barack Hussein and others rule over us just as Saddam Hussein ruled over Iraq.

Unbridled hysteria....

July 25, 2008 - 08:14 ET by JasonC

Wow, who knew? So which of the 114 suras of al-Qur'an contains these explicit directives? Please cite these passages precisely; I'm sure you have them right in front of you, as you've clearly devoted time to studying them.

Let me get your hysterical position pinned down here. Obama attended a Muslim school as a child. Then he became a Christian, but apparently not the right kind. Now, his campaign is being run in order to shanghai Americans into being ruled (by proxy of course) by his own former minister and Farrakhan.

To quote a great man: "Your ideas are intriguing to me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter."

"Issue-driven politics in red-and-blue America is like a man whose
appetite for steak is greatly enhanced by his contempt for vegetarians."

“When ye meet the

July 25, 2008 - 10:12 ET by Jerry

“When ye meet the unbelievers smite at their necks” (Koran 47:4)"

“Allah has purchased the believers, their lives and their goods. For them [in return] is the garden [of paradise]. They fight in Allah’s cause, and they slay and are slain; they kill and are killed… it [paradise] is the promise of Allah to them” (Koran 9:111).

“Then fight in Allah’s cause - you are held responsible only for yourself - and rouse the believers [to fight]” (Koran 4:84).

“I have been ordered by Allah to fight and kill all people [non-Muslims] until they say, ‘No God except Allah.’” (words of Mohammed)

“But do not think of those that have been slain in God’s cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their sustainer have they their sustenance. They are very happy with the reward they received from Allah [for dying as a shahid] and they rejoice for the sake of those who have not joined them [i.e., have not yet died for Allah]” (Koran 3:169-70).

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).

Unbridled hysteria by JasonC

July 25, 2008 - 20:41 ET by cocodrie

Wow, now you know. Muhammed personally killed approximately 3,000 people. He beheaded 700 Jews of the Banu Qurayza tribe in Medina in 627A.D. Here are the sura references for you. 4:101 Infidels are your sworn enemies. 5:51 Take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends . 2:141Kill the disbelievers wherever you find them Koran 47:4 Strike off the heads of disbelievers. Koran 8:12 Instill terror into the hearts of the disbelievers - smite them above the neck and smite all their fingertips off. Islam considers Jews and Christians to be unbelievers and infidels. My Jesus teaches: Lev 20:13 If a man has intercourse with a man as with a woman they both commit an abomination. THey shall be put to death. Matt 5:22 Anyone who nurses anger against his brother must be brought to judgement. if he abuses his brother he must answer for it in court. Matt 5:21 Do not commit murder; anyone who commits murder must be brought to judgement. Murder is the willful taking of an innocent life and an unborn child is as innocent as they come. Your brother is anyone who needs help - read the story of the good samaritan. I apologize for the delay, I had to go to work. Remember above all things, Jesus loves you.

Another drive-by from binky braveheart the baby bottle master.

June 20, 2009 - 06:56 ET by JWF

Hey binky, you called someone out to back up what they said.

They then back up what they said.

The polite thing would be to acknowledge them. They are not being paid to educate you.

Instead of acknowledging you were being a pain in the butt, you cut & run. Say weren't you advocating that somewhere else? Cutting and running. I think you were. You seem very familiar with that concept.

Now please regale us with more tales of your bravery in opposing the Afghanistan war. Tell us about the time you were out holding a Bush is a Chimp sign and some guy passing by gave you the finger and you cried.

Sincerely,

a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.

the same old

July 25, 2008 - 08:43 ET by docb

hillery supporter still in there trying to stir up interest in her again...pitiful...nitpik nitpik....

What It Was

July 25, 2008 - 10:28 ET by JDW

Berlin: Obama's first presidential campaign speech to non-voters.

JDW

SAPPY NEWS

DAILY WAVE

Obama speaks to a crowd of

July 25, 2008 - 11:02 ET by goldbar

Obama speaks to a crowd of 200,000 in Germany.

McCain speaks to a crowd of 20 at a German deli.

Did McCain make any gaffes yesterday? I couldn't hear his voice above the wind chimes that were drowning him out.

yeah that's it goldbar

July 25, 2008 - 11:06 ET by candance

The size of the crowd determines how great the speech is. What is this, high school? I have more friends than you do and more people show up to my games. That means I'm better than you.

It's worth noting that Adolf Hitler once stood in that very same city and gave a speech to a crowd of the same size.

I believe Paul McCartney

July 25, 2008 - 11:14 ET by mandrake

I believe Paul McCartney once held a concert in Moscow to a crowd of similar size..so what?

Berlin Concert

July 25, 2008 - 11:32 ET by JDW

Was Obama playing to Berlin or himself?

JDW

SAPPY NEWS

DAILY WAVE

I'd have to say he's playing

July 25, 2008 - 12:33 ET by goldbar

I'd have to say he's playing to Berlin.

No

July 25, 2008 - 13:19 ET by JDW

The German youths came to listen to music.

When is the last time a German candidate running for a high office held an election rally abroad?

JDW

SAPPY NEWS

DAILY WAVE

Who would you rather see?

July 25, 2008 - 11:28 ET by goldbar

Who would you rather see? The Angels or the Padres?

Yeah Goldbar. Obama spoke

July 25, 2008 - 11:44 ET by bassndude

Yeah Goldbar. Obama spoke to 200,000 that cant vote for him, McCain spoke to 20 who can vote for him. Now, which one makes more sense? Speaking to Voters? Or those who can't vote?

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

It was actually Karl

July 25, 2008 - 11:04 ET by Old Europe

It was actually Karl Liebknecht, Honecker's predecessor, who said that.

In the Berlin State

July 25, 2008 - 11:25 ET by johnbarry

In the Berlin State Election held in 2006 64% of the inhabitants of Berlin voted for left wing parties including Socialists, the Left Party (ex Communists), Greens etc. So Obama was mainly addressing fellow lefties. Big deal.

In relation to Northern Ireland he is talking through his hat. Parts of Belfast are as divided as ever. Elements in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) still do not wish to share power with Nationalists. A split in the DUP cost it a by election some months ago.