Three conclusions:

One, the public spectacle was of enormous political value to Obama, given the vast press coverage and the enthusiastic crowds.

Two, pundits will probably praise — and then forget — the speech in the same manner they did his embarrassing “I can no more disown Rev. Wright . . . ” race sermon which they once compared to the Gettsyburg Address — before quietly deleting it.

Three, I doubt aping the European line about U.S. torture, global warming, Darfur, etc. will result in any more NATO troops to Afghanistan, or anything else forthcoming from Europe. As it is, they want less, not more, military spending; their extra-constitutional anti-terror laws, spy-cameras, and prevent...

Three conclusions:

One, the public spectacle was of enormous political value to Obama, given the vast press coverage and the enthusiastic crowds.

Two, pundits will probably praise — and then forget — the speech in the same manner they did his embarrassing “I can no more disown Rev. Wright . . . ” race sermon which they once compared to the Gettsyburg Address — before quietly deleting it.

Three, I doubt aping the European line about U.S. torture, global warming, Darfur, etc. will result in any more NATO troops to Afghanistan, or anything else forthcoming from Europe. As it is, they want less, not more, military spending; their extra-constitutional anti-terror laws, spy-cameras, and preventive detentions make the Patriot Act look like Cub Scout bylaws; and their new anti-immigration protocols would earn calls of “fascism” if enacted here at home.