[24 heurs, Switzerland]

Die Tageszeitung, Germany

Reason and Common Sense

Make Comeback in America

"The conservative wing of the Republicans, the party's driving force under Bush, is torn by the battle between Huckabee and Romney and this time around will not have a major role. Finally, differences can be settled without taboos – finally reason and common sense have made a comeback to the debate in the United States."

Commentary by Bernd Pickert

Translated By Ulf Behncke

February 6, 2008

Germany - Die Tageszeitung - Original Article (German)

The only clear winner of the elections on Super-Tuesday is named John McCain. The 71-year-old senator from Arizona has succeeded in restoring to himself the position of frontrunner. And yet both of his competitors, Mick Huckabee and Mitt Romney, claim that they too have been resoundingly confirmed – but that's nonsense. They haven't a chance. The Republican candidate for 2008 will be John McCain.

Things are different in the Democrats side: Hillary Clinton does indeed lead the delegate count, yet both she and Barack Obama have shown that they both have solid support from certain groups of voters. Clinton mobilizes the poor, the elderly, White women and Latinos. Support for Obama comes from Blacks, the middle class, the affluent and the young. The dividing lines are so sharply defined that the campaign slogans of both teams, "this isn't about race or sex,” have ultimately turned out to be far removed from reality.

[Editor's Note: As of Feb. 7, Clinton has 1,045 delegates, to 960 for Obama with 2,025 delegates required to claim the nomination. But Clinton had had to 'loan' her campaign $5 million, which has raised questions about how well-funded her campaign actually is].

Both have failed to turn the election results into an irreversible trend thereby creating a wave. Which means that at this stage, neither of them has any reason to drop out of the race. The campaign continues.

Hillary Clinton's formidable election machine doesn't lack supporters or money – but authenticity. On the other hand, Barack Obama has set in motion an election campaign that's more of a political movement – one that creates its own myths along the way. At this stage such a movement cannot be reversed; it will only broaden. Obama's slogan “Yes we can,” has also been confirmed by Super Tuesday. Coming from behind and clearly from the position of an outsider, Barack Obama is now in a head-to-head race with one of the clearest favorites of all times. And the longer this campaign lasts, the greater his chances.

This election year, the United State has held more political debates than ever during the presidency of George W. Bush. The good news: Neither the expected Republican candidate John McCain nor Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, represent the divisive line that Bush always pursued to secure his election victories. The conservative wing of the Republicans, the party's driving force under Bush, is torn by the battle between Huckabee and Romney, and this time around will not have a major role. Finally, differences can be settled without taboos - finally reason and common sense have made a comeback to the debate in the United States."

This was long overdue.

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[WORLDMEETS.US Posted Feb. 7, 4:33pm]