But back here in the states, critics suggested the speech was more than a little presumptuous. "He is not our president, but he thinks he is," said one Ohio woman.
Perhaps to drive the point home, Republican John McCain dined on German food while talking to small business owners in Columbus, Ohio. "I'd love to give a speech in Germany, a political speech or a speech that maybe the German people would be interested in. But I'd much prefer to do it as President of the United States, rather than as a candidate for the office of presidency," said McCain.
Later, the candidate appeared at an event with Tour De France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. While McCain promised to increase funding for the National Cancer Institutes, he wouldn't commit to a dollar figure. "It's easy particularly, in all candor, for liberals to go out and say I'll give you all this, but do you know the debt we've laid on you, future generations of Americans?"
Obama arrives in France Friday morning where he will sit down with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. McCain will meet with the Dalai Lama in Colorado.
