The Obama campaign is trying to have it both ways with respect to his foreign campaign tour through the Middle East and Europe. On one hand, they’re making it a big campaign event and on the other hand they’re trying to portray it as some sort of official Congressional tour (the fact it’s coinciding with his Presidential campaign is just pure coincidence, of course).

Yet, a campaign aide at the briefing said the Berlin speech “is not for campaign purposes.”

“I don’t think the fact that large numbers of people gather to hear a speech makes it a campaign speech,” the aide said. “The substance of what he addresses is what’s important. And what he is addressing has nothing to do with campaigns. It has to do with his view of where we are today in the world.”

Aides suggested the speech would not target Republican John McCain, but might draw contrasts with President Bush’s policies.

When pressed by reporters, aides could not rule out that the campaign might use a film crew to shoot footage for an ad.

It seems to me that the Obama campaign is trying to portray this political campaign tour as an official Congressional trip so taxpayers will foot the bill and he doesn’t have to dip into his campaign donations to fund it…

It would be interesting to know who he’s charging for this political campaign trip.

And some in his campaign don’t realize that Obama isn’t actually the President:

“It is not going to be a political speech,” said a senior foreign policy adviser, who spoke to reporters on background. “When the president of the United States goes and gives a speech, it is not a political speech or a political rally.

“But he is not president of the United States,” a reporter reminded the adviser.

Hell, he’s not even officially the Democrat nominee. But the arrogance of his campaign bubbles over yet again.