Citizens of the World

Here's the McCain campaign, as approvingly quoted by Byron York at the Corner:

While Barack Obama took a premature victory lap today in the heart of Berlin, proclaiming himself a "citizen of the world," John McCain continued to make his case to the American citizens who will decide this election.

And of course there's John at Powerline reviewing the speech and observing:

There were, of course, problematic parts, like introducing himself as a "citizen of the world." These carefully-chosen words, loaded in the context of the current campaign, were obviously intended to advance the image that Obama wants to present to American voters. It's far from clear, however, that "citizen of the world" is at the top of the list of qualities voters are looking for this year.

And needless to say The New York Sun doesn't approve:

So Barack Obama, whose father is from Kenya and who attended school in Indonesia, now appears before a crowd of 200,000 cheering Germans in Berlin to proclaim himself a "citizen of the world." It makes you wonder whether he's running for president of America or secretary general of the United Nations, and it is reminiscent of Senator Kerry's ill-fated 2004 debate pledge to subject American policies to a "global test."

But the invaluable K.B. sent me Ronald Reagan's fifth State of the Union address:

And tonight, we declare anew to our fellow citizens of the world: Freedom is not the sole prerogative of a chosen few; it is the universal right of all God's children. Look to where peace and prosperity flourish today. It is in homes that freedom built. Victories against poverty are greatest and peace most secure where people live by laws that ensure free press, free speech, and freedom to worship, vote, and create wealth.

And it seems like only yesterday that George W. Bush himself was warning against the "false comfort of isolationism."

Comments

Let them come to Berin...

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | July 25, 2008 9:17 AM

Never mind, of course, that McCain has spent plenty of time abroad since securing the nomination, from speaking in Canada, to London, to Colombia and more...

It's not just the conservative press, all the mainstream papers downplayed the speech, take a look:

http://strategy08.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/what-your-papers-decided-for-you-this-am/

Posted by Dan | July 25, 2008 9:23 AM

The NY Sun is dead on when it says that this is reminiscent of Kerry's "global test" remarks.

Kerry said:

No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to preempt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America.

But if and when you do it, Jim, you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons.

Here we have our own secretary of state who has had to apologize to the world for the presentation he made to the United Nations.

I mean, we can remember when President Kennedy in the Cuban missile crisis sent his secretary of state to Paris to meet with DeGaulle. And in the middle of the discussion, to tell them about the missiles in Cuba, he said, "Here, let me show you the photos." And DeGaulle waved them off and said, "No, no, no, no. The word of the president of the United States is good enough for me."

How many leaders in the world today would respond to us, as a result of what we've done, in that way? So what is at test here is the credibility of the United States of America and how we lead the world. And Iran and Iraq are now more dangerous -- Iran and North Korea are now more dangerous.

But the right-wing media ran with the story "global test! Global test!" They ignored the context of his remarks, about our credibility, and ignored that Kerry also said at that debate, "I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are."

The "citizen of the world" effort at a right-wing talking point is even stupider, given that Bush Jr. and Reagan used the phrase.

But lying in order to heighten fear is all they know how to do to win. Southern Strategy, Saddam Hussein, gay marriage coming for your kids, he wants to raise your taxes, etc.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | July 25, 2008 9:29 AM

This is the cartoon moment for American conservatism.

They've become such a joke, such a caricature of themselves, that Ronald Reagan sounds like a socialist one-worlder to them.

Pathetic.
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Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 25, 2008 9:34 AM

I wonder why none of the usual reich-wing idiots aren't running with Obama's ridiculous, naive call to eliminate nuclear weapons from the Earth.

Hmmmm.....I wonder...

Posted by calipygian | July 25, 2008 9:35 AM

I wonder why none of the usual reich-wing idiots aren't running with Obama's ridiculous, naive call to eliminate nuclear weapons from the Earth.

Hmmmm.....I wonder...

Posted by calipygian | July 25, 2008 9:35 AM

Nothing to do with anything, but I just wanted to say good on you, Yglesias, for escaping this sinking ship of a right-wing media mouthpiece.

Posted by Limecat | July 25, 2008 9:36 AM

In 2004 John Kerry will mention that we have to be sensitive in our prosecution of the War on Terror.

The right-wing noise machine will crow about what a pussy Kerry must be for using the word sensitive. Dick Cheney will make fun of it to great applause at a fundraiser.

Every Kerry surrogate and Kerry himself will be asked about what a naive pussy Kerry is by every major media outlet that gets a chance.

Liberal blogs will dig up a clip of Dick Cheney saying we need to be sensitive in our prosecution of the War on Terror.

Joe Scarborough will say liberal bloggers cover themselves in Cheetos.

In 2008 Barack Obama will proclaim himself a "citizen of the world."

The right-wing noise machine will crow about what a New Age hippy-dippy pussy Obama must be. Some Republican somewhere will make fun of this to great applause at a fundraiser.

Every Obama surrogate and Obama himself will get asked about what a naive pussy Obama is by every major media outlet that gets a chance.

Liberal blogs will point out that Ronald Reagan declared Americans to be "citizens of the world."

Joe Scarborough will say liberal bloggers cover themselves in Cheetos.

In 2012 the Democratic nominee will say . . .

Posted by mark f | July 25, 2008 9:53 AM

Okay, but keep in mind that Reagan was speaking before 9/11. After 9/11 the true patriots decided to renounce their world citizenship, because they realized that the world is scary.

Posted by Blorp | July 25, 2008 9:54 AM

I somewhat agree on the parallel between Kerry's "global test" and Obama's "citizen of the world" to the extent the GOP is trying to play the same old tricks. But I think there are in fact a lot of differences which make the likelihood of the GOP's attacks working this time a lot lower.

For one thing, even out of context Obama's phrase is both more innocuous-sounding and more poetic, which indeed is why other Presidents have used it.

Second, Obama was undoubtedly smart enough to realize the potential threat, which is why he said:

"Tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen - a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world."

And sure, the GOP will try to ignore that part before the comma, but I think they are exposing themselves to a backlash when people see the rest of the sentence and realize the GOP really is just spewing BS.

Finally, and perhaps most crucially, Obama was speaking in Berlin. I think people understand that diplomatic language is appropriate in such a context, and indeed I think when people think about Berlin and American speeches, a lot of people immediately think of JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" line. Compared to that, Obama's "fellow citizen of the world" really is just boilerplate, and I doubt many people are going to find themselves outraged.

Posted by DTM | July 25, 2008 10:00 AM

As Leonard Cohen wrote:
They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

Ah you loved me as a loser, but now you're worried that I just might win
You know the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline
How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

Posted by Jay C. Smith | July 25, 2008 10:07 AM

Jay C. Smith:
Bravo!! Cohen is the man!!

As regards this post, Kennedy used the phrase as well so the WATB's of the right wing can go piss up a rope.

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | July 25, 2008 10:12 AM

After a few years of dallying with the spurious internationalism and rhetorical freedom agenda of the Bush administration, circa 2004 and 2005, the right is once again reverting to its old Jacksonian ways of isolationism, xenophobia, chauvinism and jingoism, and is dusting off its paranoia about internationalists of all stripes. I suspect we'll start hearing more about the black helicopters, and about how Barack Obama is the secret commander of an army of blue helmets, who are even now positioning their UN tanks behind buildings and billboards for the assault on the American heartland.

The international engagement dimension of the Bush right was always a fraud anyway. What it amounted to was just this doctrine: we need to fight our enemies wherever they are, and sometimes that requires traipsing across foreign countries to get a better shot.

Posted by Dan Kervick | July 25, 2008 10:14 AM

Instapundit quotes some douche: "Judging from the local drive time radio shows, we bitter, religious pistol-packers here in flyover country remembered only two things from Obama's Berlin visit: the phrase 'citizen of the world' and Obama's failure to visit wounded troops at Landstuhl and Ramstein."

Surprisingly, this wasn't accompanied by a "heh" or an "indeed."

Posted by mark f | July 25, 2008 10:15 AM

This is the cartoon moment for American conservatism.

It truly is. It's now apparent, if it wasn't before, that those on the Right will have a knee-jerk criticism of Obama no matter what he says or does, even if it's the most harmless, non-offensive phrase he could utter. 'Citizen of the World' is that offensive? You've got to be kidding.

Most of them have shown they have no principles on which to stand, as shown by their continued support of George Bush no matter how un-conservative a policy he puts forward, and have been reduced to a weak caricature of a opposition Party. Here I used to think the Democrats were spineless jellyfish.

Posted by Joe | July 25, 2008 10:20 AM

And TPM finds "citizen of the world" in JFK's "bear any burden" inaugural.

Again, the right in America today is not "conservative" in any meaningful sense of the word (give Andrew Sullivan that much): It's reactionary, xenophobic, and doomed. Unless it manages to destroy constitutional government, and the Republic, first.

Posted by elle loco | July 25, 2008 10:22 AM

There's a fairly large difference between "sitting President" and "presumptive Democratic Party nominee".

Of course, Obama expects to be dealing with world leaders for the next "8-10 years"....

Posted by James Robertson | July 25, 2008 10:25 AM

Do a google search, both news and blog, on "citizen of the world."

You'll find people objecting, out of ignorance, showing that they are only marginal "citizens of the US."

It's your history, too, freepers. Too bad you don't know shit about this country.
.

Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 25, 2008 10:28 AM

The expression "citizen of the world" has always mightily ticked off the right. They see themselves as fighting the good fight on behalf of American sovereigty and independence against one-worlder internationalists, socialists and universalists who want to sell us out to the international community. For the right, Americans owe a loyalty that is exclusive and unattenuated to the United States of America, and are not citizens of any political union, or members of any political community that extends beyond the United States.

Posted by Dan Kervick | July 25, 2008 10:28 AM

[The right] see themselves as fighting the good fight on behalf of American sovereigty and independence against one-worlder internationalists, socialists and universalists who want to sell us out to the international community.

In that case, it might occur to the right to wonder why their policies do so much damage to the country they claim to love.

For the right, Americans owe a loyalty that is exclusive and unattenuated to the United States of America, and are not citizens of any political union, or members of any political community that extends beyond the United States.

... which is why they put bumper stickers on their cars that say things like "secede."

The patriotism of the right is an insecure, paranoid parochialism that consists of hating/fearing everything that isn't like the country they're fucking up.

Weird, sad, and failed.
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Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 25, 2008 10:39 AM

One of the pinch hitters on Sullivan's blog also quotes Reagan before the U.N. General Assembly calling himself "a citizen of the United States and of the world." There's really not an ounce of integrity in the republican hacks wringing their hands over this phrase. Cartoon moment, indeed.

Posted by Led | July 25, 2008 10:39 AM

"JFK Admits to German Citizenship"
"Is JFK the Manchurian Candidate? And how do we know what that means in 1961?"
"JFK extends olive branch to former Nazis"

Sometimes I'm glad that the internet is of recent vintage.

Posted by Luke | July 25, 2008 10:46 AM

I was afraid that the citizen of the world comment would hurt Obama. Not because it is unreasonable, but because the right might make sound that. Now that I hear that Reagon used the same phrase I am no longer worried. The fact Republicans tried to attack him on this when Reagon used the same words means that on the margin this part of the speech was helpful. We are citizens of the world and there is nothing Republicans can do about it.

Posted by Craig | July 25, 2008 10:46 AM

Look, this is pretty simple. These bozos wanted *something*, *anything* to latch on to about Obama's trip overseas they could bash. This is the best they can do, to criticize a phrase Reagan and JFK also used.

Game over man, game over.

Posted by Jake | July 25, 2008 10:48 AM

They see themselves as fighting the good fight on behalf of American sovereigty and independence against one-worlder internationalists, socialists and universalists who want to sell us out to the international community.

The Democrats, of course, take the higher road. (Thanks to MattY for letting me know about the questionnaire, even if he apparently didn't bother reading it himself.)

Posted by TLB | July 25, 2008 12:14 PM

Of course the sellout pundits for the American right dislike this phrasing. America isn't a global citizen, it's the global Decider-in-Chief! That way, rules and responsibilities don't have to apply to us!

Posted by AG | July 25, 2008 12:54 PM

"they are exposing themselves to a backlash when people see the rest of the sentence and realize the GOP really is just spewing BS."

I feel like anyone who hasn't already realized this probably is never going to.

Posted by Kenny B. | July 25, 2008 1:44 PM

I had an opportunity to watch the German television coverage of Obama on the ZDF network. For about 15 minutes before his speech they were showing examples of why Obama is barely ahead of McCain in the polls. They showed video of him fumbling to put on an American flag lapel pin and his failure to put his hand over his heart when Hillary did so at the Iowa event last summer. They also showed his "57 states" clip and his statement that "Israel is a strong supporter of Israel" quote from a few days ago. They then switched back to live interviews and zeroed in on the two teleprompters at the Victory Column in Berlin where he was about to speak. They started to make jokes about it. So much for how all of the Germans are enamored with Barack Obama.

Posted by Kevin | July 25, 2008 1:48 PM

It doesn't matter if other people said it. Arguing with Republican political operatives is like arguing with a rabid dog. You either put the dog down or you get bit.

I could quote George W. Bush...

6/21/06, "I believe people ought to be able to worship freely, or not worship at all, but you're equally a citizen of the world." but that is a suckers game.

...but that is a suckers game. You need to point out to independents that the dog is rabid and confine rabies to the GOP base.

Posted by joejoejoe | July 25, 2008 2:50 PM

Republicans have very little sense of shame, but even our regular trolls are a little too embarrassed to back the right-wing bloggers up on this one. Which means that people like John at Powerline and Byron York are even more shameless than people like Al. Even James Robertson's attempt was only a meek but irrelevant "but he's not the president, yet."

Posted by Tyro | July 25, 2008 2:59 PM

Kenny B.,

I know most of the damage has been done, but I honestly believe each time the GOP does this sort of thing, they lose a few more people. It is sorta like Bush's job approval rating--people have been telling me for years he is down to his floor, and yet down he still goes.

Posted by DTM | July 25, 2008 3:15 PM

While everyone is getting broken wrists from patting themselves on the back for catching this denigration of Obama by the MSM, keep in mind that this will only continue.

As I've said before, the Powers That Be have anointed McCain as the next President of the US. Obama is going to have to shake things up to beat that.

Maybe he should deliver a speech with a Joker mask on.

"Let's haaaavvvee a litle...ANARCHY!"

The Joker: [speaking to Two-Face]

Do I really look like a man with a plan, Harvey? I don't have a plan. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just *do* things. I'm a wrench in the gears. I *hate* plans. Yours, theirs, everyone's. Maroni has plans. Gordon has plans. Schemers trying to control their worlds. I am not a schemer. I show schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So when I say that what happened to you and your girlfriend wasn't personal, you know I'm telling the truth.

[hands Two-Face a gun]

The Joker: It's a schemer who put you where you are. You were a schemer. You had plans. Look where it got you. I just did what I do best-I took your plan and turned it on itself. Look what I have done to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple bullets. Nobody panics when the expected people get killed. Nobody panics when things go according to plan, even if the plans are horrifying. If I tell the press that tomorrow a gangbanger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will get blown up, nobody panics. But when I say one little old mayor will die, everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy, you upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I am an agent of chaos. And you know the thing about chaos, Harvey? It's fair.

The Joker: The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules! See, I'm not a monster...I'm just ahead of the curve.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | July 25, 2008 11:05 PM

Even James Robertson's attempt was only a meek but irrelevant "but he's not the president, yet."

They are just done. I've had a hard time getting a feel for this election because I live in Obama's district. It's just a given here, he's the next president.

What the internet does though, is give you some sort of national feel and it doesn't seem to be conservatives or much less independents that are lining up to freak out over Obama. It's nutcases. I don't mean people like Al or James, but serious mental problem people and I remember when I had those folks as comrades. It was right in time for the 2002 elections. That wasn't a good year.

Posted by Ed Marshall | July 25, 2008 11:18 PM

McSame goes to Canada and South America and meets with their top leaders and makes speeches about NAFTA, etc, and now he accuses Obama of going to foreign countries and meeting their leaders? The same McShame that had been accusing Obama of NOT going to Iraq, etc? The same McBush that does not know that some countries have stopped existing 15 years ago, that Iraq and Pakistan do NOT share a border, that the Surge began months after the Anbar Awakening, etc? And all his McClones are crying foul because Obama made no mistakes on this trip, and the Iraqi leaders agree with Obama on his withdrawal timeline, and Israel agrees with Obama on talking to Iran (AND so do the Bushies NOW)? And the media Brooks attack Obama because he is articulate, brilliant, strategically right, popular globally, etc, and Obama goes down in the polls as the media continue to attack him? What's up, people? Can this be the R word at play?

Posted by shirl | July 26, 2008 3:48 PM

I put together a collection of past uses of the phrase "Citizen of the world" in a DailyKos diary. The earliest use of the phrase is by Calvin Coolidge, and marches forward from FDR through each President (except Ford) until the current one.

You can get a sense of the different uses, dominated by reference to others (Americans and non-Americans) as C to W, to referring to the nation of the U.S.A. as a citizen of the world, and to explicitly referring to Americans as also being world citizens.

Posted by Susan Kitchens | July 26, 2008 4:24 PM