Political In-Fighting Set In Germany As Obama Makes His Visit

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Senator Barack Obama is due to visit Germany. Obama plans to make a campaign speech at the Brandenburg Gate, which is one of Germany’s most important landmarks. The Brandenburg Gate’s main significance is the tearing down of the Berlin Wall after the fall of the Soviet Union.

However, politicians are split whether it’s appropriate for Obama to be giving a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel is not warm to the idea of Obama using this place to give a campaign speech. Merkel leads the Christian Democratic Party.

Merkel was one of the leaders that had attended the G8 Summit at Lake Toya, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Germany is one of the G8 nations. But, that is another story.

However, Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier of the Social Democratic Party disagreed with Merkel. Steinmeier’s spokesman Jens Plotner said that either Obama or presumed US GOP presidential nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona are free to speak at this location.

Plotner said that this expresses symbolism of a friendship between Germany and the United States. However, it is not up for the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor to allow Obama to speak at the Brandenburg Gate.

That decision lies in the hand of Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin. So far, Wowereit is warm to the idea. Also, it seems that Wowereit is very thrilled to have Obama visiting Germany, while Obamania has spread on a global scale.