About us Login Get email updates
Research
Print

NY Sun omitted Obama's reference to himself as "a proud citizen of the" U.S., then suggested he didn't say it

July 25, 2008 6:16 pm ET
image

SUMMARY: In reference to Sen. Barack Obama's speech in Berlin, The New York Sun stated in an editorial: "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.' " The Sun later asserted, "We'd settle for a president who is a citizen of America, thank you very much." In fact, during the speech, Obama described himself as "a citizen -- a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world."

14 Comments

In a July 25 editorial, The New York Sun said in reference to Sen. Barack Obama's July 24 speech in Berlin: "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." The Sun later asserted, "We'd settle for a president who is a citizen of America, thank you very much" -- falsely suggesting that Obama had referred to himself only as a "citizen of the world." In fact, during the speech, he described himself as "a citizen -- a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world."

Similarly, in a July 25 article, the Sun cropped Obama's introduction, writing, "Introducing himself as a 'fellow citizen of the world,' the presumptive Democratic nominee stood in the German capital and called for Europe to stand with America in the fight against terrorism and forge a united front to eliminate nuclear weapons and curb the damage wrought by global climate change."

The Sun did not note in either the editorial or the article that in a June 17, 1982, speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Ronald Reagan introduced himself similarly, saying, "I speak today as both a citizen of the United States and of the world." President Richard Nixon, in a March 30, 1969, eulogy for President Dwight Eisenhower described him as "truly, the first citizen of the world."

From the July 25 Sun editorial:

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."

[...]

We'd settle for a president who is a citizen of America, thank you very much. Or at least one with the humility to recognize that the president is elected by Americans, not Germans. In the meantime, it is hard to take Mr. Obama's speech as anything more than the pandering to which he is prone. What else to make of his proclamation that "America has no better partner than Europe"? What about Japan? What about Canada and Mexico? What about Israel? Maybe Mr. Obama would make a good ambassador to Germany or France in a McCain administration, though he'd have to be watched closely for clientitis.

From the July 25 Sun article, headlined "McCain Camp Hopes for Backlash":

As Senator Obama basks in the adulation of more than 200,000 cheering Europeans in Berlin, Republicans are banking on a backlash at home.

Introducing himself as a "fellow citizen of the world," the presumptive Democratic nominee stood in the German capital and called for Europe to stand with America in the fight against terrorism and forge a united front to eliminate nuclear weapons and curb the damage wrought by global climate change.

Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by onionhead (July 25, 2008 6:50 pm ET)
         

      "We'd settle for a president who is a citizen of America, thank you very much." Ny Sun

      Which America? North, South, or Central?

      "Maybe Mr. Obama would make a good ambassador to Germany or France in a McCain administration, though he'd have to be watched closely for clientitis."

      If there is a "McCain Administration", I think I will become "a citizen of the world".

      Report Abuse
      • Author by mr. l (July 25, 2008 6:52 pm ET)
           
        I think the NY Sun wants someone from the Justice League of America!
        Report Abuse
      • Author by fawltylogic (July 25, 2008 10:10 pm ET)
           
        Yeah, that cracked me up too. Can't wait for the Olympics and see all the athletes from"America"!
        Report Abuse
    • Author by JimmyCraghorn (July 25, 2008 7:05 pm ET)
         
      Next thing you know, he's gonna go to Mars and calls himself a citizen of the Universe.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by snoopy (July 25, 2008 7:11 pm ET)
         
      Geez, it's bad enough CBS cuts and pastes McCain to make him sound like he's saying something else, now we have to deal with clowns omitting Obama's statements and then claiming he never said it? Goebbles would be proud of american journalism.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by deeznuts (July 25, 2008 11:40 pm ET)
         

      And the wingnuts are always bellyaching about "context"...

      Sheesh.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by IRONY 101 (July 26, 2008 10:34 am ET)
         
      TRANSLATION: USA!  USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!...
      Report Abuse
    • Author by sportsguydave (July 26, 2008 1:38 pm ET)
         
      Hacksaw Jim Duggan for President!!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by political_left-religious_right (July 26, 2008 1:42 pm ET)
         
      It looks like the NY Sun editors are willfully blind, and wish their readers to be equally so.  Maybe they should change their name to the NY Eclipse for deliberately covering up the facts.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mary59 (July 27, 2008 10:09 am ET)
           
        I like it. They could state on their mast head, "the Sun will return someday, but we are working hard to remain in Eclipse mode, blocking its radiance as long as we can get away with it."
        Report Abuse
    • Author by MickD (July 26, 2008 3:03 pm ET)
         
      It takes a special type of corporate sell-out to write idiotic prose like this editorial staff. Judas would be proud.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bart (July 28, 2008 11:04 am ET)
         

      The irony here is that none of us are "citizens of America".  We are citizens of these United States.  That's the name of our country.

      Once again we have an ignorant and illiterate press attacking a statesman who could lead our country to the prosperity and peace it deserves. 

       

      Report Abuse