Let me say it straight out. My heart backs Obama and I dare say, that’s the feeling for many around the world. Super Tuesday too showed many Americans feel the same. Can you imagine a man with the name Barack Hussein Obama, a black, an inspiration to the youth in America, win? Just winning, regardless of his presidency, would ensure a much needed image makeover for the US after the damaging era of George W Bush. It’s the right healing touch for America and the world.
Don’t get me wrong. There are good candidates on either side. Nevertheless, the Republican race in 2008 is a damp squib in comparison to the drama on the Democratic side. The idea of a woman or black president for arguably the most powerful nation on earth has captured the imagination of voters across America and indeed the world. Nothing else explains the extraordinary interest the world has in the travails of two political parties in the US trying to decide who should represent them in a race to become to the next president of America.
Issues matter, but clearly this race has been a clash of personalities and images, rather than substance. And, this time, that’s how it should be. After all, it’s certainly not about how the lot of women or blacks will be improved if either becomes president. Moreover, there is little difference between Clinton and Obama on most issues. Clinton is clinical and stronger on detail. Obama is inspirational. Health care is a great example. If Obama talks of affordable health insurance, Clinton responds experience shows that is not enough and offers a blueprint for truly universal health care. However, health care is as yet not a make or break issue for Democrats in these elections. Change is. Both endorse change, although it’s originally an Obama pitch, whereas Clinton talks of a clean-up after Bush.
The Republican alternative offers nothing new yet, either for America or the world. In fact, it’s surprisingly marked by more of the same, but look who’s backing it. John McCain had a campaign that was written off last summer. Now he is the frontrunner. But what is he saying? From being a moderate and someone who was circumspect about the war on Iraq and opposed tax cuts, he’s reversed his positions. Still, Republicans are not convinced of his credentials as a conservative. They don’t like his stand on immigration or global warming, on which he has been a moderate. The results of Super Tuesday also show that he has benefited from independents and moderates, rather than rank conservatives.
Why should that matter if he has won nine states on Super Tuesday? Here’s why. Getting conservatives to turn out to vote for Bush in his second presidency was central to Bush’s win. McCain though, trailed Mitt Romney, his millionaire businessman Mormon challenger, even in his own home state of Arizona in conservative areas. There is little evidence to show that McCain’s big win on Tuesday is a rejection of anything Bush symbolizes, notwithstanding McCain’s showing amongst Republican candidates in six states that are traditionally Democrat. McCain does not stand for change. He appears to be the best compromise if things were to remain the same. Is that what America wants?
Winds of change are sweeping across the world’s oldest democracy. And much can happen in the intervening months leading to the national conventions of the two parties in the summer. There is no denying the fact that there is much greater voter turnout for the Democrats than Republicans. On Super Tuesday it was more than one and a half times. The interest generated has not been on issues, but on the drama in the Democratic struggle to answer that simple question, should it be a woman or a black for president?
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Big states with lots of delegates are still left. Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Texas has at least 35 percent Hispanics, a community that has so far supported Clinton more than Obama. Ohio has only 12 percent blacks. It’s not a constituency that Obama can hope to woo easily, despite good showings with the white male voter on Super Tuesday. Clinton is short on funds for now. She lent her campaign 5 million dollars in January. Obama has just raised record sums for a primary month in January with 32 million dollars and added 3 million since Super Tuesday.
These are contributions from individuals via the internet. Many caucuses are coming up, which should be good for Obama in February, though not good enough. April might still be the cruelest month, producing a frontrunner. If it doesn’t, then super delegates may end up deciding for the voter, who should be the Democrat nominee. That can vitiate the process with charges of cronyism.
Worse, the divided Democrat house might end up weakening the final onslaught in November to win the president’s office. Then America will be condemned to endure more of the same. Indeed, so will the world.
The time has come for Americans to dream again and show the world what a melting pot it truly is. It has been argued by commentators that since 9/11 Americans are more concerned about experience and knowledge of world affairs than domestic concerns. However, by the same token, the second Bush presidency shows, not experience, but simply strength of character, inspiring leadership and coalition building will be of far greater importance, no matter what the issue. Obama has been the only consistent candidate so far. He was so consistent that he defeated no less than Bill Clinton’s attempt to damage him in South Carolina, and emerged with a convincing win. It is to Obama’s credit that he came away unscathed and did not let it be reduced to a race issue. It’s Bill Clinton now who has been relegated to the back of the Hillary Clinton campaign bus. Obama has had his test of character.
Will America now dare to dream?
(CNN-IBN's Executive Editor/Anchor Dr Vidya Shankar Aiyar has been following international affairs for two decades now, both as an academic and a TV journalist. He has worked as a strategic affairs analyst and continues to write regularly on international affairs.)
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