Obama ist gekommen

The Obama speech just happened, and the political pundits are doing the analysis on German N24, our CNN.

200,000 people stood in the Tiergarten between the Siegesaeule (the gold tower under which Obama stood) and the Bradenberg Gate. Obama came on after about 15 minutes of "Yes We Can!" chants and then began his 35 minute speech. It was the largest crowd Obama has every spoken in front of.

The Germans were spilling the purple Kool-Aid all over themselves.

And why not? Obama came out like "ein Popsuperstar" and managed to be both thoroughly fawning ("If any city knows hope... it's Berlin") and stars-and-stripey (thanks for the Wikihistory of the Airlift!) He laid the foundation for asking for more troops in Afghanistan, then softened the blow with a call to end nuclear weaponry. He even managed to squeeze in a future reference about Iran and get cheers..... largely because the comment was sandwiched in between laments over melting ice caps. The speech was full of these one-two sweet contradictions and through it all the crowd cheered at appropriate pauses. Over and over again Obama kept bringing up the friendship between America and Europe, the friendship, nay, partnership that began in our fair Hauptstadt.

But still, I would be a liar if I didn't say I thought that speech was cool, and even more cool because it was in a city that defines cool, that manages to be hip and sad at the same time (hip+sad= cool). And Obama is certainly the coolest man we've ever had run for president: According to my latest perusing of people.com, he's taking his daughter to see "WALL-E" for her birthday. That's pretty cool.

I still may be protesting no thirst when the paper cup is passed my way, but I won't deny coolness. Besides, McCain recently admitted that he won't use e-mail. Brother is old, and if there's one thing America has taught the world: Old is not cool.