Will Americans Buy Obama's Global Pitch?
As Obama draws hundreds of thousands in Europe, many at home remain unsold.
July 24, 2008 — -- Sen. Barack Obama summoned the world to the cause of his presidential campaign on Thursday.
But he won't need the world to win the still-tight election: He continues to need a few million of his countrymen, residing in swing states, to accept the prospect of his serving as commander-in-chief.
Obama's soaring speech before a crowd of some 200,000 in Berlin took his message global. Without mentioning President Bush, Obama played off the Bush administration's wide unpopularity -- something with appeal in both Europe and the United States.
"People of Berlin -- people of the world -- this is our moment. This is our time," said Obama, D-Ill. "I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions."
"But I also know how much I love America," he added.
For all the powerful visuals of Obama's overseas trip -- shooting hoops with troops, riding a helicopter with Gen. David Petraeus, being received as a world leader from Jordan to Germany -- it's not clear that Obama made up further ground Thursday in answering the most significant concerns about his candidacy.
In deciding for a big public appearance in Europe focusing on America's standing in the world, the Obama campaign is calculating the nation's desire for change is closely entwined with hope for improved U.S. relationships with allies. A recent Pew poll found that a majority of Americans find the nation's deteriorating status abroad to be a major problem.
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