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Obama tells world we must unite

200,000 throng to German event

By Christina Bellantoni (Contact) | Friday, July 25, 2008

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BERLIN | Sen. Barack Obama presented himself Thursday to Europeans as a "citizen" of both the U.S. and the world and spoke repeatedly of the things that "we" must do on terrorism, the environment and other global issues.

His speech in front of the historic Victory Column in Tiergarten was filled with references to politics, from acknowledging American shortcomings to urging Germany to recommit to NATO success in Afghanistan.

"I speak to you not as a candidate for president, but as ... a proud citizen of the United States and a fellow citizen of the world," the presumptive Democratic nominee told at least 200,000 people gathered not far from where the Berlin Wall once divided the city. Mr. Obama declared the importance of trans-Atlantic partnership in a setting that portrayed him as an American superstar.

"While the 20th century taught us that we share a common destiny, the 21st has revealed a world more intertwined than at any time in human history," he said.

The thousands there - many waving American flags - cheered his call for people worldwide to "tear down" new walls dividing countries, religions and races.

Just like crowds at his American rallies, these fans erupted in chants of "Obama, Obama," and "Yes, we can." One person led the crowd in a chorus of the "Obamagirl" song, getting dozens to sing along that "I've got a crush on Obama."

It was to be his only public event during a weeklong tour of the Middle East and Europe that has taken him to the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan and to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Officials estimated that the crowd was one of the largest in Berlin's history; the range was from 200,000 from the campaign to as many as a half-million from the German Embassy in the United States.

His campaign carefully crafted the event, which was helped by perfect weather, and said the footage might be seen in a political ad. Obama fans distributed a photo of the massive crowd next to a photo of a remarkably similar crowd at the 1963 March on Washington.

Mr. Obama told his own story and about his Kenyan father's arrival on American shores because of the nation's ideals "that speak to aspirations shared by all people: that we can live free from fear and free from want; that we can speak our minds and assemble with whomever we choose and worship as we please."