[The Toronto Star, Canada]
El Universal, Mexico
Like Bush Jr.,
Legitimacy Will Be 'Obama's Dilemma'
"The historic contradictions
between the popular vote and the vote in the Electoral College are even greater
for primary elections … Without doubt, Al Gore accepted 'legality,' but this
issue of legitimacy will be the future dilemma of Barack Obama."
By Juan Maria Alponte
Translated By Paula van de Werken
June 5, 2008
Mexico
- El Universal - Original Article (Spanish)
It seems, finally, that
Hillary Clinton has been defeated. The cost of the fratricidal battle will
oblige Barack Obama to quickly and effectively restore Party unity. Anything
less will help McCain.
Hillary has insisted that she
obtained more “popular votes” than Obama, who in turn has more delegates and
superdelegates. It's nothing less than extraordinary that The Wall Street
Journal can say on this point, that “It's very difficult to count the
votes,” and in the same newspaper on June 3, June Kronholz in a piece entitled
Some Superdelegates May Defer Decision wrote that, “Some superdelegates
may arrive at the August convention uncommitted.”
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BUSH V. GORE: The reverberations are still being felt - and
feared.
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That statement shows the
complexities of an electoral system where the historic contradictions between
the popular vote and the vote in the Electoral College (the latter has the
capacity to decide an election, as was demonstrated in the recent election of
George W. Bush over Al Gore 
) are even greater for primary
elections, with barriers and counter-barriers to direct voting and the
explosive paradoxes of delegates and superdelegates. The great dilemma lies in
an ethical conflict between legality and legitimacy. Without doubt, Al Gore
accepted “legality,” but this issue of legitimacy will be the future dilemma of
Barack Obama.
At the Philadelphia
Convention in 1787 , these two major
themes were already present. The Constitutional Convention was made up of 55
men. Of these, 29 were members of great universities. The remaining 26 were
great personalities like Washington (who was immediately elected President of
the Convention) and Benjamin Franklin, the inventor and diplomat. Washington
defined the problem this way: “If, to please the people, we offer what we
ourselves disapprove, how can we afterwards defend our work? Let us raise a
standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of
God." Hmm … wise and honest. A class apart.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Alexander Hamilton , originally from the Antilles, intelligent and irritable
(perhaps because he wasn't part of the dominant oligarchy), brought back the
ancient ideas of Athens: “If the government is in the hands of a few, they will
tyrannize the many; if in the hands of many, they will tyrannize over the few.
It ought to be in the hands of both, and be separated ... they will need a
mutual check.” So it was decided from the start that the president would be
appointed by a "college" of electors chosen by each state, whose
number would be equivalent to the senators and representatives from each state.
Thus the Electoral College was born. The first five presidents (Washington, Adams,
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe) were chosen by nothing more than the Electoral
College.
The
perplexing election of 1824: With America essentially a one-
party
state after the other main party, the Federalists, dissolved,
the
Democratic-Republicans fielded four candidates. From left to
right:
John Quincy Adams; Andrew Jackson [who won in 1828];
William
Harris Crawford and Henry Clay. Despite having won the
popular
vote and a majority in the Electoral College, Andrew
Jackson
lost. Sound familiar?
As will be seen, the issue of
the popular vote first intervened during the election of the sixth president [1824 ]. John Quincy
Adams (son of President John Adams) won 108,740
popular votes and Andrew Jackson won 153,544. The Electoral College gave Jackson 99 votes and Adams, 88. [There
were four candidates in 1824. The other two were Henry Clay (37 electoral votes) and William Harris
Crawford (41 electoral votes)]. Jackson won the
majority of the popular vote and electoral vote [but not an "absolute
Majority - more than half," which is what the Electoral College requires].
The Electoral College had a total of 261 delegates from the existing 24 states.
To sum up, neither of the presidential candidates won an absolute majority of
the Electoral College vote, and in accordance with the law [the Twelfth
Amendment to the Constitution], the House of Representatives decided the issue.
Adams received the electoral votes of 13 states (one more than needed for an
absolute majority), Jackson received six states, and Crawford, the third
contender, received the electoral votes of four states. But nevertheless, Jackson, the seventh
president [1828], had a majority of the popular vote … and that of the
Electoral College.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
So despite modifications in
the law, the conflict between the electoral and popular vote reminds us of the
words of Washington in 1787. The law is the law. Barack Obama is in his lap, empowered
yet uneasy.
CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH
VERSION
THE WORLD OPINES ON OBAMA:
ASIA
The Jakarta Post, Indonesia
For Indonesians,
Obama is 'Everyone's Son or Friend'
http://worldmeets.us/thejakartapost000003.shtml
EUROPE [from French, Spanish, German,
Portuguese]
Le
Figaro, France
Obama: One 'Cannot
Praise America Enough'
http://worldmeets.us/lefigaro0000216.shtml
Le
Monde, France
Regardless of Who Wins, the American
Exception is Eternal
http://worldmeets.us/challenges000001.shtml
Le
Monde, France
American
Elections: Cause for Hope and for Disappointment
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000176.shtml
Le
Monde, France
'Obamania Sweeps France'
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000175.shtml
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
Die Zeit, Germany
'Obama is No Savior'
http://worldmeets.us/diezeit000028.shtml
Frankfurter
Rundschau, Germany
'Lincoln,
Kennedy, Obama'
http://worldmeets.us/frankfurterrundschau000020.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Obama's
Run: The 'Miracle' of America that Could Change the World
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000060.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Clinton
and Obama - Please Stop Them!
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000059.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
2008
a High-Stakes U.S. Election Year for Europe
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000048.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Hillary's
Quest: Between Tears and the Throne …
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000050.shtml
La Stampa, Italy
At
Parade of Blacks, Boos for Hillary and Applause for Obama
http://worldmeets.us/lastampa000013.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
Definitively,
Barack Obama is the Candidate of Europe …
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000014.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
‘I Got a
Crush on Obama’
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000012.shtml
THE MIDDLE
EAST [from Arabic]
Al
Gomhuria, Egypt
Can a
Muslim-Born Negro Be America's President? ...
http://worldmeets.us/algomhuria000007.shtml
AFRICA
[English]
The Daily Nation, Kenya
Why Africa Exults at Obama's Victory
http://worldmeets.us/dailynationka000005.shtml
Liberal,
Cape Verde
Obama: Good Luck Handling the
'Pitfalls'
http://worldmeets.us/liberal000001.shtml
This
Day, Nigeria
How
Far Can Obama Go?
http://worldmeets.us/thisday000003.shtml
Business Day, South Africa
Why
American Blacks May Be Obama's Great Problem
http://worldmeets.us/buisinessdaysa000001.shtml
LATIN
AMERICA [from Spanish]
BBC Brasil, Brazil
Obama's Victory: Reason to Believe in a Better World ...
http://worldmeets.us/bbcbrazil000003.shtml
Folha, Brazil
The
U.S. Presidential Election: The Greatest Show on Earth …
http://worldmeets.us/folha000004.shtml
Los Andes, Argentina
'Se Puede!'
http://worldmeets.us/losandes000002.shtml
Excelsior, Mexico
With Either Hillary or Obama, 'We All Win' ...
http://worldmeets.us/excelsior000011.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Barack Obama Says About the United States …
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000045.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Hillary Clinton Shows About the Status of Women
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000046.shtml
EUROPE [from French, Spanish, German,
Portuguese]
Le
Figaro, France
Obama: One 'Cannot
Praise America Enough'
http://worldmeets.us/lefigaro0000216.shtml
Le
Monde, France
Regardless of Who Wins, the American
Exception is Eternal
http://worldmeets.us/challenges000001.shtml
Le
Monde, France
American
Elections: Cause for Hope and for Disappointment
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000176.shtml
Le
Monde, France
'Obamania Sweeps France'
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000175.shtml
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
Die Zeit, Germany
'Obama is No Savior'
http://worldmeets.us/diezeit000028.shtml
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany
'Lincoln,
Kennedy, Obama'
http://worldmeets.us/frankfurterrundschau000020.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Obama's
Run: The 'Miracle' of America that Could Change the World
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000060.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Clinton
and Obama - Please Stop Them!
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000059.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
2008
a High-Stakes U.S. Election Year for Europe
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000048.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Hillary's
Quest: Between Tears and the Throne …
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000050.shtml
La Stampa, Italy
At
Parade of Blacks, Boos for Hillary and Applause for Obama
http://worldmeets.us/lastampa000013.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
Definitively,
Barack Obama is the Candidate of Europe …
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000014.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
‘I Got a
Crush on Obama’
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000012.shtml
THE MIDDLE
EAST [from Arabic]
Al
Gomhuria, Egypt
Can a
Muslim-Born Negro Be America's President? ...
http://worldmeets.us/algomhuria000007.shtml
AFRICA
[English]
The Daily Nation, Kenya
Why Africa Exults at Obama's Victory
http://worldmeets.us/dailynationka000005.shtml
Liberal,
Cape Verde
Obama: Good Luck Handling the
'Pitfalls'
http://worldmeets.us/liberal000001.shtml
This
Day, Nigeria
How
Far Can Obama Go?
http://worldmeets.us/thisday000003.shtml
Business Day, South Africa
Why
American Blacks May Be Obama's Great Problem
http://worldmeets.us/buisinessdaysa000001.shtml
LATIN
AMERICA [from Spanish]
BBC Brasil, Brazil
Obama's Victory: Reason to Believe in a Better World ...
http://worldmeets.us/bbcbrazil000003.shtml
Folha, Brazil
The
U.S. Presidential Election: The Greatest Show on Earth …
http://worldmeets.us/folha000004.shtml
Los Andes, Argentina
'Se Puede!'
http://worldmeets.us/losandes000002.shtml
Excelsior, Mexico
With Either Hillary or Obama, 'We All Win' ...
http://worldmeets.us/excelsior000011.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Barack Obama Says About the United States …
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000045.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Hillary Clinton Shows About the Status of Women
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000046.shtml
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US June 9, 1:00pm]
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US June
9, 6:00pm]
