Germans to Obama on visit: "We can work it out."

[babylonsister]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_GERMANY?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Germans say details of Obama visit being handled


BERLIN (AP) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has a message for presidential hopeful Barack Obama: We can work it out.

Merkel had signaled unease over a possible Obama speech at Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate. A Merkel spokesman, Ulrich Wilhelm, said Friday that while details had not yet been worked out, "we are confident that we will reach a mutual and good solution which does justice to the interests of all involved."

While Berlin city officials had said they were delighted with the idea, Merkel questioned whether it's appropriate to bring a foreign election campaign to a site that symbolizes Germany's Cold War division and its reunification.

City officials have said they have been contacted by Obama's Democratic campaign staff about a visit. The Obama campaign has refused to provide specifics on his European trip.

The Brandenburg Gate, which once stood behind the Berlin Wall, was the backdrop for a 1987 speech in which President Reagan urged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."

On Wednesday, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the candidate had considered several sites for a possible speech and would "choose one that makes most sense for him and his German hosts."

Not all German politicians agreed with Merkel. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was quoted by the Frankfurter Rundschau daily as saying he hopes the flap does not "create an inaccurate or repellent impression" in the United States.

[MissHoneychurch]

1. I really hope so

I might actually go to Berlin to hear Obama speak.

[babylonsister]

3. MissHoneychurch, I HOPE you go! We need eyes and ears on the

ground there! If I could, I would!

[stellanoir]

2. yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!

[babylonsister]

4. Can you imagine this? I hope it happens! nt

[stellanoir]

6. Yup

I'm visualizing the event intermittently with the image of Obama taking his oath of office on the Capital steps on January 20th.

:woohoo:

[DevonRex]

5. Fantastic! Merkel probably realized (belatedly) that Bushco

will be gone so she doesn't have to kiss up anymore.

Or perhaps this was her way of playing both sides of the fence since she does have to deal with Bush for a little while longer but knows Obama will be our next president.

In any case it's fantastic.

[Neshanic]

7. Has anyone seen our ugly new Embassy right next to the gate?

I mean it's right there. Ugly as sin.

Maybe it's a good thing that Obama may not make a speech there, next to what looks like an insurance company suburban headquarters.