That Baffling Campaign Across the Atlantic

Allowing the Rest of the World to Speak Directly to Americans
Promoting Peace, Diplomacy and Cross-Cultural Understanding.

About Us

Archives

Media Kit

Non-U.S. News Sources

http://www

[The Times, U.K.]

Les Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace, France

That Baffling Campaign Across the Atlantic

"Republican John McCain must be radiating with joy. … One has to admit that from this side of the Atlantic, it's hard to comprehend an American presidential election. From one state to another, millions are spent in a fratricidal struggle that will last until June. … and you 'support' one candidate or another as if you were a 'fan' of a pop singer or a football star."

By Jean-Claude Kiefer

Translated By Pascaline Jay

April 24, 2008

France - Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace - Home Page (French)

Barack Obama: His life or death struggle with Hillary has Europe scratching its collective head.

BBC NEWSNIGHT: Is Barack Obama's past about to catch up with him? A look at his career and life in Chicago politics, Apr. 25, 00:24:26

Republican candidate John McCain must be radiating with joy. Every primary won by Hillary over Obama or Obama over Hillary, bolsters him just a little bit more. With aggressive TV ads and murderous sound bites, both contenders for the Democratic nomination are tearing each other apart to see who will face the Republican candidate in November.

From one state to another, millions are spent in a fratricidal struggle that will last until June. Perhaps even longer if the outcome of these primaries ultimately depends on the "super-delegates" and their obscure machinations. What a windfall for John McCain, that atypical Republican, the outsider septuagenarian who is now credibly "presidential!" The money his party collects can be used for the "real" electoral campaign.

There's no point in wasting time criticizing his potential adversaries: Obama and Clinton are doing a good job of that themselves. After two mandates of George W. Bush - the second more calamitous than the first - the Republicans had begun to mourn for the White House. But surprise, they now have every reason to hope again.

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

[The Telegraph, U.K.]

But one has to admit that from this side of the Atlantic, it's hard to comprehend an American presidential election. The candidate (he or she) matters more than the program. Charisma is more important than political commitment. You "support" one candidate or another as if you were a "fan" of a pop singer or a football star. And often tradition carries the day: people vote Republican or Democratic because it was always that way in the family …

Moreover, trying to analyze their electoral programs is almost mission impossible. To be sure, the tendencies are known but the words are so polished that they lead nowhere. It all seem like imprecise exhortations and "hand on your heart" sermonizing, since candidates fear that a faux pas will emerge that an opponent will quickly exploit.

Thus quite concretely, no one knows how - or whether - the American engagement in Iraq will end, or what remedies will be brought to bear on an economy undermined by a financial crisis and the weakness of the dollar.

But this murkiness offers the advantage of not misleading anyone. It's as if we all know that after the election the winner will have to play it by ear. Whether the winner is a Democrat or a Republican, the only aim will be the defense of American interests. It's a lesson not to be forgotten by Europe.

CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH VERSION

SEE ALSO ON OBAMA:

EUROPE [from French, Spanish, German, Portuguese]

Liberation, France

Obama: 'A Man Who Will Restore America's Image in the World'

http://worldmeets.us/liberation000102.shtml

Liberation, France

If Barack Obama Becomes U.S. President …

http://worldmeets.us/liberation000103.shtml

Le Figaro, France

Democrats in France Impassioned Over Party Primary Race

http://worldmeets.us/lefigaro0000194.shtml