Obama Visits Berlin

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama gave a speech in Germany Thursday to the largest crowd he has faced so far on his campaign trail.

Obama addressed over 200,000 people in Berlin, according to the Associated Press/Yahoo! News. The theme of unity highlighted Obama's Berlin speech as the Democratic candidate emphasized the need for citizens - Europeans and Americans alike - to come together a "defeat terror and dry up the well of extremism that supports it."

Obama's speech took place not far from where the Berlin Wall once stood. His speech on Thursday called attention to division between allies.

"The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand," Obama said.

His speech also extended beyond allies and focused on races, immigrants and religions.

"The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christians and Muslims and Jews cannot stand," Obama said.

Obama certainly echoed former President John F. Kennedy through his Berlin speech, although comparisons between him and Kennedy have been made well before then. These comparisons are usually drawn from Obama's easy eloquence and use of parallelism in his speeches.

The Illinois senator's message in Berlin did not sway far from what he has proclaimed during his campaign in the United States. Obama declared to the people of Berlin that now was time to act - just as he would to a crowd of Americans.

Emphasizing his overall campaign slogan for change, Obama said, "People of Berlin, people of the world, this is our time."

Obama is in Europe for a quick tour in attempt to "reassure skeptical voters back home about his ability to lead the country," according to AP writers David Espo and David Rising. Scrutinizing politicians and media outlets have criticized Obama for his lack of experience in foreign affairs since he began his campaign in February of last year.

Obama is not only slated to give speeches while in Europe; this week, the senator met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for talks about "the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, climate change, energy issues and more," according to the AP/Yahoo! News.

The senator also visited Afghanistan earlier this week and met with President Hamid Karzai, a politician whom he has publicly criticized in the past.

Sources: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080724/ap_on_el_pr/obama_germany