Obama Visiting Crown Heads of Europe?

As a former 45 year Arizona resident who has watched my former home state destroyed over the illegal immigration situation, and who has rarely agreed with Senator John McCain on anything due to his betrayal of his fellow Arizonans on this issue and many others while serving as Arizona's representative, I have to state that although the Senator has been uncharacteristically composed as his usual bent regarding the purpose of Senator Obama's travels with respect to his campaigning and whirlwind tour of Europe, in what little he has said I couldn't agree more. In order for the American people to be fully informed about the candidates running for the highest office in the land, there is to my way of thinking a difference between "fact" and "fiction" where mud slinging is concerned. This "fact" of this European politicking by Senator Obama is being played out embarrassingly on the world stage. It is not "fiction" but "fact."

With the speech in Berlin, and meeting with the President of France, you would not think that Senator Obama is simply a candidate in this country for the nation's highest office. Although he has stated differently, he is not traveling there merely as a private citizen but is traveling on both the U.S. taxpayers dime and also his campaign contributors. Why would Senator Obama feel that his campaign needs to be played out on the world stage, rather than U.S.?

As a boomer, this is the first time I ever remember a race for the presidency being conducted by the candidates soliciting the world vote or world stage for their candidacy. Mr. McCain has been to Iraq eight times (as a member of the Armed Services Committee(?), and was recently rather conveniently in Colombia during the Betancourt rescue and while a trade deal with Colombia has been pending in the House and Senate. But this trip of Obama's has all the trappings of something much more. He has been asking for the European's support of our continuing war. He has not simply met with local officials as a private citizen, but conducting public rallies and speaking engagements, and meetings with high level governmental leaders (the President of France).

Meanwhile, Congress is still in session, and both of these gentlemen are still the elected representatives for the respective states whose job it is until November to be at their desks, in their offices, or on the Senate floor doing their elected jobs. This run for the presidency has now been going on for almost two years, due to the main stream media and presses need to manufacture news even when there is none.

Although President Bush has the lowest rating of any president before him at this time, and our Congress the same, there are specific and enumerated duties and powers for each elective office, and both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama, it appears are attempting to even usurp powers that are clearly assigned to others, until the people actually elect them to fulfill those roles.

I don't know how much these trips are costing Americans, either publicly or privately, but doesn't appear Obama is fostering a positive image of America in his posturing on the world stage, but desperation a la Sally Field......"you like me, you really like me."

I think we need to get rid of these ridiculous two year runs for the presidency and outrageous public displays at both the national and international levels in campaigning and politicking, and wealth manipulation - and elect our president the way the founders intended. Discreet announcement on the Senate floor, by the electorate voting for two serving members of Congress, one not from their state of residency, irrespective of party affiliation. The one with the highest votes wins, and the second highest votes is the Vice President. Easy, simple and Constitutional. No more corruption with the campaign contributions and corporate agendas. No more corruption by the existing political parties corporate agendas.

And no more Ich bin ein Berliner speeches.....