EUROPEUS

After a somewhat awkward introduction when Obama recalled the historical links between the USA and Berlin after WWII, talking about the airlift and the struggle of the citizens of Berlin for freedom (“All free people everywhere are citizens of Berlin”), he visibly warmed up. He committed for the USA to engage with the European partners in the fight for a protected environment (“This is the moment to give back our children their future”), promising a real partnership to Europe (“The USA has no better partner than Europe") on all crucial matters of the world.

The crowd went shouting “Obama, Obama” when he talked about a new “world peace without nuclear weapons from another time”. No more nuclear weapons? World peace? Peaceful immigration and mutual respect regardless of the color of the skin or religious beliefs? No more torture? Free, fair trade? And the USA as a real partner in international organizations?  And this coming from a US presidential candidate? With such a program, John McCain will find it hard to present anything more sexy. “Let’s remake the world once again”, Obama closed his speech.

If Obama Barack has a tremendous talent to present himself as a mix of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi and Obama Barack, the picture of a better world for everybody looks just great. The challenge he takes on might be the toughest burden a US president ever had to face. But who could actually really change the world, if not a determined most powerful man in the world, who simply states: “Yes, we can!”?

Kai Littmann is journalist