PHOTOS: BARACK OBAMA meets with Angela Merkel, who decides to come to Berlin, after all

[flpoljunkie]

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (L) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin July 24, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (L) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin July 24, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)


U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, wave from a balcony prior to talks at the chancellery in Berlin Thursday, July 24, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jens Meyer)


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (L) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin July 24, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)


US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (L) walks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin July 24, 2008. REUTERS/Jim Young (GERMANY)


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama poses with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin, in front of Reichstag building, July 24, 2008.
(Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)


Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, walks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to pose for photos in Berlin, Thursday, July 24, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama stands in front of a window with a view of the German Parliament building Reichstag during a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin July 24, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)


Two people costumed in uniforms holding American flags are pictured in front of Berlin's Brandenburg gate in Berlin, Germany, on Thursday, July 24, 2008. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., visits Berlin Thursday, July 24, 2008.
(AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer)

[goclark]

1. Can't wait to see every second of his speech

Come on Germany!

Show your love for our next President.

[AtomicKitten]

2. Big day today for Barack.

[Heidi]

3. Kick!

And recommended.

:kick:

[Binka]

4. Photo #5 Has A Thin Black Man In The Art Behind Obama WTF?

Nice ass but it struck me as odd. Merkel is star struck, LOL!

[berni_mccoy]

14. LOL! I saw that too... that whole pic seems surreal!

[hootinholler]

17. That is a great painting!

She is having fun! I wonder if she got her traditional shoulder massage?

-Hoot

[liberal N proud]

5. I bet the Chancellor was relieved, no neck rub

[bklyncowgirl]

11. Actually I believe she said she woudn't object to getting one from Obama

Does Chancellor Merkel have a crush on Obama?

[uponit7771]

23. She said she wouldn't "resist" one from Obama

[rox63]

6. And I bet he did not attempt to give her any unexpected backrubs

Like the Chimperor does.

[PCIntern]

7. Ashcroft would certainly have had something to say

about that artwork! A Nude Tushie!!!!

Cover it up!

[Vinca]

8. With up to a million people expected in Berlin for the speech,

any politician would be a fool not to show up. Once she met him, she was probably astounded - a brilliant man and no groping.

[RC]

9. Educated and civilized even...

And an American yet!

[malik flavors]

10. I guess Merkel's trying to cash in on that back rub.

[Hope And Change]

12. K & R!Thanks for posting!

[beachmom]

13. Well, considering the government is in Berlin, it is no surprise she would go there.

I was not happy with Angela two weeks ago, but in the end, she should be flattered that the Obama team deem her the most powerful of European leaders at this time.

Thanks for the pics.

[flpoljunkie]

15. Merkel still won't say if she'll attend Obama's speech tonight.

[saltpoint]

16. On the blue nude painting in photo no. 5...

Does anybody know the artist?

I see Merkel and Obama speaking in front of the painting and neither one of them is freaking out the way John Ashcroft did over the statue he subsequently had covered up so it would not show in the background of his pressers.

[flpoljunkie]

24. Here's another photo. The artist is German-born Rainer Fetting.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, walks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to pose for photos in Berlin, Thursday, July 24, 2008. German-born artist Rainer Fetting's painting is shown in background. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

[saltpoint]

26. Hey there. Thanks for the info -- I'm embarrassed to say I have

never heard of Rainer Fetting -- that green chair is killing me -- and thanks for the post overall.

Obama and Merkel together, apparently in a pretty friendly mood too, is reassuring.

For 8 long years we've had Bush and Cheney and Rice et al "representing" us in Europe and other nations and now there is a distinct chance that an evolved grown-up will represent us instead.

I have a feeling Merkel might throw in a few bucks to the campaign!

Nice post, flpoljunkie.

[bdamomma]

18. great pictures

the speech ought to be great, I can't wait to hear it.

[noel711]

19. My she looks animated!

I don't recall such a hospitabile glow when she was photographed
with Geo. W.

Perhaps she is amazed that an American leader can be intelligent,
pleasant, dignified.. and can keep his hands to himself.

[noel711]

20. My she looks animated!

I don't recall such a hospitabile glow when she was photographed
with Geo. W.

Perhaps she is amazed that an American leader can be intelligent,
pleasant, dignified.. and can keep his hands to himself.

[Gman]

21. She'll be glad that she won't have to worry about getting an unwanted shoulder massage

at the G8.

[saltpoint]

22. Kick.

Great post.

[Barack_America]

25. He seems less at ease with her.

Very different body posture from the pics we saw yesterday in Israel.

Perhaps he was afraid SHE might give him the back-rub after her glowing remarks about how "physically well-equipped" he is. LOL.

[my3boyz]

27. I think so too. He seemed more at ease with everyone that he has

met than with her (at least in pictures). He seemed more at ease even with Patreaus. Perhaps he ticked that she nixed his first location for the speech. Or perhaps he did not think the backrub comments were appropriate?