Europeans are very subtle by nature. The farther north you go in Europe the more subtle they get. President Obama spoke in Strasbourg today. Though in France, it is as much German as it is French in temperament (if not in nationality). This was the second leg of Obama’s first overseas trip but you would never know he was a novice. With 19 other leaders, none garnered as much attention and admiration as the new US President has. What an amazing opportunity at an amazing time, and he has not disappointed. If you haven’t watched the full town hall speech President Obama gave in Strasbourg then you have missed one of those moments that don’t come around very often. It was a natural fit. Europe is a bastion of liberalism and Obama is a leftist. But no ordinary politician could have given the speech he did today. Within 20 minutes he was able to sweep away the transgressions of the eight year nightmare that was George Bush. Without giving up an inch of American principle, Obama was able to reach out to those in attendance and all those sitting in front of their television screens and embrace a bygone era when Europe and the US held the shield together in the shadow of a communist menace and at the same time forge an understanding of the present and future in a frank and direct fashion. Explaining to a liberal audience the importance of maintaining a presence in Afghanistan. For 20 minutes he spoke and there was not one audible jeer. It was as if you could see the sludge being washed away before your very eyes. It seems in this climate of rational thought all things are possible. Perhaps I’m wrong. After all, it is just President Obama’s first overseas trip.

Watch the full speech HERE

Germans look to Obama rather than Merkel in crisis

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And what is left for the Conservatives to rally behind? Why, Glenn Beck of course. He made that ideological based leap from CNN to Fox and he has rocketed up to the second most watched pundit on cable news. I’m not sure if I should be amused or scared at this fact because Beck is a bit…how do you say it?…unbalanced (a true equalizer on the “Fair and Balanced” network). When the Conservatives receive their news from a steady diet of Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Hannity and Beck you can understand how their party, message and identity is deep in the weeds.