Europeans See Shift in Obama After Nomination Speech

BERLIN — Europeans on Friday greeted Barack Obama’s acceptance of the U.S. Democratic nomination as a strong performance that boosted his campaign and went beyond mere show to offer a clearer picture of what he might do as president. Polls from Germany — where Obama drew an audience of some 200,000 for a speech in Berlin last month — and elsewhere in Europe have shown him to be an overwhelming favorite over Republican rival John McCain amid wide discontent with President Bush. Still, some have questioned whether a captivating style and promises of change are enough to win the presidency. “In Denver, it wasn’t just about ‘change’ any more, but about cash, too,” German weekly Der Spiegel wrote in its online edition. “The defining line running through his nomination speech was not wishes, but reality.” “Barack Obama is in the process of developing from a redeemer into a politician,” it added. “That is a great ... (link)