Change Germans Cannot Believe In

The German magazine Der Spiegel featured articles about Barack Obama with such satiric headlines as "The Messiah Factor" or "Germany Meets the Superstar." ++ These examples show that Europeans are far less excited about Obama than Americans, even if they are also looking forward to the end of the Bush administration. ++ The mocking undertone that accompanies most descriptions of Obama in the European media signifies a trans-Atlantic divide. ++ Europe is gripped by a world-weariness that resists American dreams.