Berlin readies for Obama visit; man arrested at speech venue
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, shown by polls to be an overwhelming favorite among Europeans, is getting an enthusiastic greeting in Germany. Newspapers and magazines have splashed his face on their covers, and one broadcaster has run a clock counting down the hours to his arrival.
Obama arrives Thursday for meetings with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Walter Steienmeier, then caps his day with an open-air speech at the Victory Column that is expected to draw thousands.
The monument is one of Berlin's best-known landmarks. Completed in 1873, it was built to celebrate Prussian war victories over Denmark, Austria and France.
On Wednesday, Germany police arrested a man who broke through barricades around the site for the speech, a centerpiece of Obama's international tour.