I am not american but America extends a global reach that will affect me and generations after me and likewise for billions across the world. This election may possibly decide the direction the world is going in: towards more darkness and uncertainty or a fresh respite and an eventual light at the end of the tunnel. When George Bush was elected, I don't think many around the world much cared how he would affect us.But now we care. Very much and we are paying attention.
I am irish born and bred and I have never been in America which may be unusual on this website. Yet everyone I know takes the greatest of interest in the US election.
Most people are more in favour with the democrats and their views of the last 8 years and how we should continue in the future. We have endured the last 6 years and I don't think I would be taking much of a leap to say that bush and his policies are unpopular here.
You must realise that up to my mid teens (22 now)America was this great place in my eyes with multi-ethnicity and skyscrapers, malls and movies. All my favourite shows and music comes from America and there were film stars there. Simplistic I know but the US was a cool place. All our jobs come from there and the good times rolled.
It all crashed with 9/11. America was the good cop of the world- why would somebody want to attack the lone superpower in the world? We reeled and I can say with certainty that we were all in sympathy with the americans and President Bush. Up to then Bush had been a bit of a joke but no big deal really. This was the moment to be tough-be the cowboy-and we would all stand behind you and take the fight to them.
Well Bush had our sympathy and bled it dry over the years. Afghanistan yes invade awaywhy not?-we understood the reasons. And then it went all pear-shaped with rationale so fake that our patience ran out. Catchphrases that seemed more double-speech and ironic than meaningful entered conversations- axis of evil-WMDs-weapons inspectors-evil-insurgency-Iraq. Europe protested going to war with Iraq with great masses of people marching with Ireland among those and it didn't make a bit of difference. Bush had made up his mind and our leaders with all their links to America just carried on. We hoped for the best. They toppled Saddam(a cruel dictator with no links to the attacks and great links to bush and rumsfield.) Newspapers counted the enormous lot of days where no WMDs were found and money was made by contractors and oil giants. Thats when the rot began to set in on the goodwill of many for America.
I have only picked one aspect and I could have picked so may things-the environment that is only fit to be used and abused by this government- the whole corruption that is obvious from this distance-the croneyism and nepotism which is blatant in Mccain and bush and on and on..
I could go on but all of you are aware of these things and more.The tue reason I am here is Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
A lot of people were divided between obama and HRC. We remembered the good work that the peace agreement made in the North but I think many saw how good Obama was and really thought it near nepotism for hillary to win. But I think most favoured Obama for his freshness, his speeches and his considered approach. Obama is my favourite and always was.I think most european countries would adopt him as he is such a brilliant candidate and a standout from the rest of the politicians who seem to have the heart and soul sucked out of them to be honest(in Europe and the US).
Therein lies the problem. Any other country in the world he would (imho)win but in America? A lot of people argue that it won't happen however much he fits the bill-too professorial-wordy-lilylivered whatever. They want a guy you can have a drink with and an Annie Oakley gal. Is that really the test of a great presidency? or a good fight out in the bar area where the drink is taking place.
And lest we forget these guys are republicans who after all have been in government all these years and disavow this by calling themselves
mavericks. Sorry but please leave the party and form a third one and don't take any of the bush staff with you if you really are different.And don't window dress and accessorise your republican policies that have not been working in the past so they seem like change and when you get down to it are ...the exact same.
However, ass the americans sit in debt and watch their stock markets burn, I feel as if there might be collective amnesia soon as the media laughs about how stupid palin is and then as she jumps the lowest bar she is asked to climb applaud. Biden did a terrific job tonight but nobody was looking out for him-all eyes were on the trainwreck of palin. I fear the republicans has succeeded in distracting the media from the issues that are at stake and McCain succeeded in his most machiavellian,cynical move yet-dividing people into camps of loving her gung-ho,all american pie,good girl image but she is hard as nails inside and those who hate her for her low brow narrow conservativeness. And some people love her for her cheesiness and winking and fake bravado...and it all reminds me of the character of bush. That all you have to do to be president is have contacts and be rich and average.That all you have to do is wish and it doesn't take any skills or judgement and that any schmuck can do it. I mean I read a serious comment that wished she was running for president and you laugh at the pure doublethink thats happened.In republican speak Obama was inexperienced a few weeks ago and now he virtually is an oldtimer in Washington now because Palin has never set foot in Washington which =corrupt now.Obama was a outsider in Washington who knew his way around the halls of power now we have Palin who is so outside the equation that there is no equation. The cynicism is breathtaking...and people are lapping it up.
Believe me when I say people are drawn into sarah palin here because of the hype but the moment they hear her views that are so radical and lacking in that 'empathy deficit' that Obama has noted(rape kits,abortion,censorship etc)we are shocked at the gall of her and appalled at the thought of her attaining the presidency. And Mccain is not much better once you get past his imprisonment which is so lauded and hyped but is compounded by his unstable temper and impetuousness and his sheer lack of knowledge on matters ranging from the economy and his faulty judgement regarding Iraq.And this ticket could win..
So I am asking you all over there to work your asses off for Obama and biden who are both competent and passionate about helping the american people and will go some way to mending the broken bridges that America has suffered in reputation and good will over the bush presidency.
Because When your economy gets hit by recession,we suffer it in downturns and when America's president won't try diplomacy and does wars,all the world suffers the consequences and suffer more terrorism than ever. And when America won't fight global warming and look at ways to reduce it rather than look at ways to get around its obligations by getting oil by anyway possible,many animal species and succeeding generations pay the price.
We may not get a say in this american election and we may not have paid attention in previous years but we have suffered the consequences and paid the price.The future has never looked so uncertain. We are paying attention now. We don't need a repeat-we need a new chance to redress the past and address the future with confidence and good judgement.
President Barack Obama and vice president Joe Biden. Nice ring to those words, isn't there? This ticket will fight for you and me and so please fight for them to reach the finishing line so they can get started.