CNN International is showing awesome crowds around Victory Column and way beyond

[lebkuchen]

Obama has this speech in the bag, and he hasn't even spoken yet.

Candy Crowley is stunned by the number of people that have shown up for this event. She's also a glass-half-empty re: Obama.

The reason there are so many people waiting for Obama, Candy, is because everyone hates Bush. Your commentary didn't even mention Bush's name. You're out of touch.

[wryter2000]

1. Are you streaming it?

I'd like to watch at work.

[cyberswede]

2. CNN streaming here

http://www.cnn.com/live/

[wryter2000]

8. Thanks

I have a picture now but no sound. He looks great!

[lebkuchen]

5. I'm in Germany, watching it live

CNNI, which isn't as bad as CNN but close, has said that German officials haven't seen anything like it re: the crowds, since Obama isn't President but merely a US Senator, but Jim Clancey also said it was a sign of Americans hoping that Obama can lead them toward a new policy on so many issues. Christiane Amanpour had an excellent interview of Susan Rice, a woman of color who is Obama's senior foreign policy advisor. She rattled off a list of facts that would make McCain blanch in comparison. My god, condoleeezzza can't compare, either, to Frau Susan Rice.

Americans abroad have set up a voting booth.

Amanpour said the crowd was a virtual United Nations of spectators...lots of folks from all over the world have come to hear Obama...lots of Obama T-shirts.

This is great.

[kenny blankenship]

3. "She's also a glass-half-empty"

First time I've ever heard that phrase in connection with the Creepy Crowley.

[lebkuchen]

15. She was saying something like, "This is standard Obama"

as if it were something negative. Who did she expect him to be? Prince?

[Benhurst]

4. Poor Candy. I'll bet she claustrophobic. I hope she doesn't get trapped by the

overflow crowd in a small space.

[malaise]

6. Geran TV says

well over 100,000

They're screaming as he takes the stage.

[lebkuchen]

7. He's on stage now....

everyone chanting "Obama, Obama..." as they have been for an hour.

[wryter2000]

9. Damn, I'm not getting sound

Waillllllllll

[malaise]

11. Try here

mms://stream.wmv.n-tv.de/ntvlive

but the translater is annoying

[lebkuchen]

13. CNNI had it all (in English)

It was a great speech, especially Obama's likening himself to a citizen of the world and extending his hand in cooperation with the idea that we depend on each other for survival. But I was hoping Obama wouldn't mention god, yet he did...."god bless you," Bush's standard line.

It is very unusual for Germans to hear god and politics mixed. Bush had mentioned god a few times on his German visit while Schroeder was Chancellor. Schroeder later talked about how unusual he found references to god to be. Muslims must be wondering all this time to which god these guys are talking about.

As for me...atheist. I cannot relate to anyone's religious viewpoint, and I don't want to see it in politics.

Ah, well. At least Merkel didn't get a massage. :)

Obama didn't get a big hand re: his hinting that Germany must be involved with the U.S. in Afghanistan, now and in the future. At least Obama moved on with his speech immediately after the "thud" of response.

Germans support the arts. They don't support war. They've seen enough of war.

[Solly Mack]

10. I'm putting it at several hundred thousand....the crowd

between 400 and 600(probably more)..easily

[lebkuchen]

12. I was there in 2003 w/500,000, as we met at the Brandenburg Gate

and stretched beyond, as in the video I saw just now.

I think your count is accurate.

I read that Obama is staying at the Adlon Hotel, next to the Brandenburg Gate on Under den Linden. Bush stayed there on an earlier visit, and because he was (is) so despised, the entire area had to be cleared for his visit.

Newswebs are saying that hundreds of Obama fans have stood in front of the Adlon hoping to see Obama arrive, but he was already there. That anyone other than the polizei could get near the hotel indicates that security felt there was no need to clear the entire Brandenburg, Reichstag, Under den Linden area for Obama's visitation. During Bush's visit, protesting could have gotten out of hand.

[lebkuchen]

14. "Now is the time for new bridges to be built"

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1251829,00.jpg

Exactly what needed to be said to Germans, and the metaphor of tearing down the "walls" (that Bush built) which divide us was also excellent.

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1251802,00.jpg