MORNING READ

Barack Obama’s speech in Berlin gets love from liberal bloggers, while conservatives see it as more evidence of his arrogance. In Congressional races, both parties have candidates competing in tough races who could serve as prototypes for others, according to a conservative and a liberal blogger.

Obama seemed presidential during his speech while John McCain looked petulant for knocking Obama’s overseas trip after having traveled abroad as a candidate himself, writes Daily Kos’s DemFromCT. What Rush Limbaugh, who attacked the speech for failing to convey “American exceptionalism,” doesn’t understand is that Obama and his supporters’ disappointment over the past eight years stems from the belief that the United States is exceptional and should be doing better, writes Todd Beeton at MyDD. Democrats shouldn’t be concerned by the lack of a bounce in Obama’s poll numbers; the political point of the trip was to have Obama audition for the part of president – a point he could refer to in the election’s final weeks, according to TalkingPointsMemo’s Josh Marshall.

But many Americans, especially key Midwestern voters, could find the speech lacking in American pride and bordering on arrogance, Hugh Hewitt writes at Townhall.com. Obama’s decision to cancel a visit with U.S. troops after his speaking to thousands of Germans reflects his misplaced priorities, according to Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey. And though Obama has put much stock in his message of change, voters see him as risky and could be poised to vote for the safer choice, McCain, during these times of uncertainty, suggests Townhall’s Carol Platt Liebau.

Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, who is virtually tied with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in their Senate race, may not become the most reliable Democratic vote, but his victory would show Republicans that they no longer have a lock on seats anywhere, writes MyDD’s Jonathan Singer. Republican Lou Barletta, who is running against Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), could prove to his party that a charismatic candidate with a fiscally conservative, anti-illegal immigration message can win in a blue collar, Democratic-leaning district, writes RedState’s Soren Dayton.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama Not Arrogant or Presumptuous – DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Barack, Rush and I – Todd Beeton, MyDD
Long-Term Benefit of Trip Abroad – Josh Marshall, TPM
The BBQ Media Wants Obama to Win? – Bob Cesca, Huffington Post
Obama’s Pride in Berlin – Hugh Hewitt, Townhall.com
Why Obama Snubbed the Troops – Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Polls and Irrational Exuberance – Peter Kirsanow, The Corner
Obama: The ‘Riskier’ Choice – Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
Bush Also Addresses U.S. Role in World – S.L. Myers, The Caucus
Miss. Sen. Well Within Range for Dems – Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Seeing the Future in Lou Barletta – Soren Dayton, RedState

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama’s Path to Presidency Far From Clear – L.A. Times
McCain May Act Soon on VP Pick – Washington Post
Obama, in Berlin, Calls for Renewal of Ties w/ Allies – NYT
Obama, Vague on Issues, Pleases Crowd in Europe – NYT