The American presidential election (64)
In an earlier posting I commented that:” if the world citizenry was voting in this election, Obama would win by a landslide”.
My judgement was confirmed by the news today that a BBC World Service poll found that Obama was favoured by a four-to-one margin across the 22,500 people polled in 22 countries.
I agree with the column by Jonathan Freedland in the “Guardian” today:
“Obama has stirred an excitement around the globe unmatched by any American politician in living memory. Polling in Germany, France, Britain and Russia shows that Obama would win by whopping majorities, with the pattern repeated in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. If November 4 were a global ballot, Obama would win it handsomely. If the free world could choose its leader, it would be Barack Obama.”
“For America to make a decision as grave as this one – while the planet boils and with the US fighting two wars – on the trivial basis that a hockey mom is likable and seems down to earth, would be to convey a lack of seriousness, a fleeing from reality, that does indeed suggest a nation in, to quote Weisberg, “historical decline”. Let’s not forget, McCain’s campaign manager boasts that this election is “not about the issues.””
The problem is that most Americans have never left North America and do not care what non-Americans think of their President or his foreign policy. Indeed some of them see Obama’s understanding of other countries as elitist and his popularity in those other countries as celebrity. If Obama is to win – as he must – it will be on the basis of domestic perceptions of him.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Most people around the world probably prefer Tony Blair to Gordon Brown, but that didn’t stop the Labour Party from dumping Blair!
So I suppose Brits are just like Americans. Most of them have never left Europe and unfortunately don’t take into account the more informed opinions of citizens around the globe.
(smile)
September 11th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Except, Russ, that the choice of British Prime Minister does not have the same global consequences as the choice of American President.
September 11th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Good point!
If the whole world were choosing I would hope they would pick someone honest, charitable and visionary:
Warren Buffet!
😉
September 12th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I don’t agree with Roger Darlington’s comment that ‘…most Americans have never left North America and do not care what non-Americans think….’ To me, in the world of globalization, today’s political process the problem of Africa, for instance, where Obama is its choice, is the concern and the problem of Americans too.