Well, it appears that Barack Obama will be in Europe, and he wants to give a speech at the Brandenberg gate in Berlin, but members of the Bush delegation at the G-8 summit twisted arms to prevent this.

It appears that Merkel is interested in taking over Blair’s role as Bush’s poodle, though members of her CDU party are generally supportive of Obama speaking there because they want to hear what he wants to say.

Merkel has also gotten herself in an eye poking contest with the Mayor of Berlin, and member of the opposition (sort of, German party coalitions are complex) SDU Klaus Wowereit, who has made a point of calling Merkel out on her own overseas electioneering.