mCObamaCAIN – the final stretch
11/03/2008
photo: Zara making it all the way! You go, girl! (pic by dr. fil)
I have been intrigued and at times amused by the political agitation taking place in Europe on behalf of Barack Obama’s US Presidential campaign.
Some of the vocal Obama supporters seem to forget that it is realistic to expect that whoever wins the elections will put America’s best interests to the forefront and in relation to the rest of the world, their potential policies would not differ all that much. Where their stance is truly different is on issues that affect US citizens directly, particularly those belonging to the increasingly ambiguously defined middle class.
I certainly hope all Europeans so involved with the issues surrounding the US elections will be as active next year during EU’s elections. Not to mention the ones in their own individual countries. Those might indeed affect us.
Pahor Gets Nod As Obama, McCain Wait For One | SLEEPING WITH PENGOVSKY said,
November 4, 2008 @ 3:23 am
[…] As the world waits for the US voters to decide (failing that, for the US courts to decide, not that everyone is holding their breath), Slovenian President Danilo Türk formally nominated leader of Social Democrats Borut Pahor as his […]
pengovsky said,
November 4, 2008 @ 10:07 am
Similar, but yet very much different. Naturally, the next President of the Unted States will pursue US interests. But if little will change in substance – although I think that quitting one war sooner than later is a substantial change – a lot more is likely to change in style and consequently in substance as well.
And although the next President will strive to maintatin US dominance of the world, he just might be forced to take a step back in order to make two steps forward. Therefore: I don’t think that the rest of the world expect Obama (if he wins) to forget about what’s best for America, but to make sure that what’s best for America is good for the rest of the world as well (most of it, anyhow).
Eight years of the “US vs. The Rest of The Word” (with a little reluctant help from their friends) was quite enough, thank you very much. Both the US and the world need to transoform that into “US, World & Friends” (or something a little less cheesy). Of the two, Barack Obama says to at least try to work in that direction. I think that’s the main reason the the rest of the world is going ga-ga over him.
pirano said,
November 4, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
Fundamentally, US foreign policy hasn’t changed that much over the past 100 years. But there have been minor shifts, to use Pengo’s words, in style and substance. That is the primary appeal of Obama around the world. Particularly,if he wins, because he’ll succeed the man who will quite likely go down as the worst prez in US history.
dr.filomena said,
November 4, 2008 @ 8:57 pm
@P: I see the logic behind your reasoning, but disagree to quite some extent. I do think Europeans in particular expect Obama to be a sort of a world(ly) Prez and forget that he would (and should) act with only US interests in mind as far as they don’t hurt the rest of the world. He would/will be so busy at home that he would/will hardly have the resources to do as much outside the US as people expect of him. He has somewhat of a rock star quality to him at this point and that can cut both ways. But if it is style of governance we’re looking at here, then yes, I agree wholeheartedly with both you and pirano. Not all that difficult to outperform the current man at the job.
Global Voices Online » EU, US: Local Interests First said,
November 5, 2008 @ 4:04 am
[…] Filomena writes: “I certainly hope all Europeans so involved with the issues surrounding the US elections […]
Dr. Filomena » Dream Today, Work Hard Tomorrow said,
November 5, 2008 @ 6:45 am
[…] for the future US administration, but the entire world. For the sake of us all, because despite my mCObamaCAIN post I do of course believe that US policies ultimately affect all of our societies, I hope that […]
Voices without Votes » EU, US: Local Interests First said,
September 16, 2009 @ 6:52 pm
[…] Filomena writes: “I certainly hope all Europeans so involved with the issues surrounding the US elections […]