I'm afraid this article does more to display American stereotypes of Europeans than it does to show up European generalizations about America. Second, I find myself unable to agree with much of your implicit argument. Nobody who saw his 2004 Democratic Convention speech thinks of Obama as "reserved" in his religiosity. The only links between Obama and Farrakhan are constructed by the media. And the vast majority of "elite" Europeans are firm believers in the principles of free trade.

Europeans tend to be more pacifist, yes, and we also tend to be more secular. And we're just as blown away by Obama's rhetoric and oratory as anyone else. But your obvious attempts to diminish a great candidate by rendering him somehow un-American are shameful.

Obama does NOT favor universal health care. Only Hillary favors that. He favors a health-care plan that allows people to buy insurance at affordable rates if they wish, and more stupidly, to buy more insurance if/when they need it. Well, who would buy it up front? Everyone will wait and see.

However, I agree with the rest of the article that Obama is appealing to people outside the U.S. for many reasons.

A couple of points:

1. Europe isn't enamored of all minorities. My wife and I have travelled in Western Europe extensively and have found that anti-Semitism is at a very high level.

2. I wasn't aware that Europe was going to be electing our next president. I don't tell the French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, British, Irish, Poles, Czechs, etc. whom they should vote for. They need to butt out of our business.

3. RE: pacifism. It's easy for Europe to be pacifist given the current state of affairs in the world. All they have to do is say, "Send Americans" when the shooting begins. They'll sit by and call us barbarians while our sons and daughters die on their behalf.

What a remarkable article. As an American who lived in Europe and saw countless examples of racism and simplistic thinking among so-called European intellectuals, this article was very refreshing.

Very well done.

There is one more thing that Europeans admire about Obama: he unifies. Unity is necessary for Europeans to compete in a globalized world. Safety within an economic unity may remain no longer elusive to the Europeans who condemn war. Obama and his followers stand for change, as well as for unity and peace that can bring about shared prosperity worldwide.

Perhaps the very best reason NOT to elect Obama. Europeans must be on crack.

It is hardly surprising that Europeans would pick the candidate most likely to capitulate to foreign manipulation. Europeans view the primary purpose of international organizations (i.e., the UN) as hobbling American power, and when it comes to a fight, Europeans are always willing to fight to the last American. A continent of wimps would elect Obama as wimp-in-chief of the United States. What tripe.

It's definitely a good thing that Europe doesn't get to elect America's Presidents. Basically your article is saying that Europeans think "good Americans" are those who are exactly like them? Well let's just tear up the Declaration of Independence and put in our application to the EU, then.

Senator Obama's faith seems murky? Based on what--your desire to see it as murky? The man is a self-described devout Christian and invokes the religious language and imagery of black liberation theology consistently. Senator Clinton is much more secular and manages to be socially liberal without sacrificing those attributes that make America unique and praiseworthy.

Mr. Sorman gets it just about right. Europe has historically been so reflexively anti-American that a big split between Americans and Europeans has been delayed by the wars and tensions of the twentieth century. The demographic change sweeping across Europe is the final nail in the coffin. or the bad guys of the world, this is not necessarily a good thing, because it means that the U.S. will now have more resources to devote to going after them should the need arise. As for the Europeans, well, they had better prepare themselves to handle future crises anywhere in Europe, because NATO is really dead; it’s just that no one has yet summoned the political guts to sign its death certificate.

Unfortunately, your article portrays inaccurate facts. what do you mean when you say Sen. Obama's religion is murky? He has been going to the same Christian church for the past 20 years. For Europeans, the Senator's race has nothing to do with his likeability; it is his personality and charisma, not his color. I am really sick of people like you bringing the "race" issue here. Obama has extremely solid ties with the Jewish community in Chicago, where he worked with them. If other Jewish communities don't know him or accept him, it is because of prejudice or ignorance. Finally, Farrakhan expressed his own, unsolicited opinion, about Sen. Obama, saying he would help the world. What is the problem with that? It's his opinion, and America is a free country. About Obama's economic plan, you can read all about it on his website. I just wish people would inform themselves better before spreading misleading information.

This is complete nonsense. Europeans remember Clinton years as the golden era, so naturally they prefer Hillary to any other candidate. Barack is unknown and frightens many Europeans for his positive attitude towards undemocratic regimes.

As an American who has lived in Europe for 23 years, I can only say, Spot on!