U.S. Election Humor (At Germany's Expense)

A new Republican video spot is causing a sensation: it depicts an audience member at Obama’s Berlin speech speaking broken English in order to make the presidential candidate seem ridiculous. In supporting roles: Leonardo di Caprio and David Hasselhoff.

According to the video, the Germans dance to bad music, speak outlandish English, and believe that Obama looks a little like Che Guevara. With these crude Teutonic stereotypes, Republicans in the United States are trying to drum up opposition to the Democratic presidential contender. Obama fans who came in droves to his Berlin speech supply the necessary pictures and captions.

One of the chief witnesses is depicted saying that he has Communist friends in the USA who campaign for Obama. Another tells the camera he thinks the black presidential candidate looks a little like Che Guevara. Another scene shows passers-by dancing clumsily to a techno-beat with the caption “Dancing People of the World,” a play on Obama’s “People of the world, this is our moment.”

The spot was paid for and put on the Internet by Republicans with the caveat that it wasn’t authorized by any candidate or party committee.

Many think the 67-second spot is a harbinger of an election campaign that will be seething with dirty tricks. Obama’s opponent McCain had already previously criticized Obama for his visit to the “groveling Germans.”