Dear Editor,

The world community seems to favour Democratic Senator Barack Obama over Republican Senator John McCain for the US presidency.  Recent polls done by the Gallup organization found 64% in France, 62% in Germany and 62% in England want Obama to be president. A recent Obama rally in Germany attracted over 200,000. Large crowds also showed up in London and Paris to listen to him. Polls in Turkey, India, and parts of the Middle East also found majorities for Obama over McCain. Newspaper editorials and op ed columns also show a preference for Obama over McCain.  My own polls in Trinidad, Tobago, Antigua, Guyana and a few other societies also show a preference for Obama over McCain. Everywhere I polled in the Caribbean and Asia, people were asking about the American race and wanted to know Obama’s chances of being president. I feel Obama’s chances are good to be elected as Americans want change from the discredited Republican conservative brand.

Foreigners prefer Obama because of their dislike for Republican George Bush who has been found to be the most disliked US President in recent times. American voters also told pollsters Bush is the most disliked president in recent history.  He has had the lowest approval rating since polling began about seventy years ago.

International opinion feels McCain will continue Bush’s unilateralist policies that have got America in trouble with the global community.  Obama handlers are trying to paint McCain as another Bush.  It is not clear if that strategy will work because polls in the US continue to show a tight race with Obama having an edge over his rival. Also, it is not clear if people are gravitating towards Obama because of his likeability and proposed policies, or because of their dislike for Republican policies.  The Republican Party has been discredited because of corruption and sex scandals and the disastrous wars started by the Republicans.

Americans don’t have an appetite for long wars.  After US forces routed Saddam’s Hussein forces, support for the war was 90%.  Today it is down to less than a third of what it was when Bush declared victory months after the war started in 2003.  Americans want their troops home and for the Iraqis to handle their own affairs; the country is in a bigger mess than when Bush invaded it five years ago.

Americans feel that Obama will end the war and bring troops home. International opinion feels that Obama will help to heal division created between the US and Europe over the invasion. The UN and most of Europe opposed the invasion and they can’t wait for Americans to oust the Republicans from office.  However, electoral likeability abroad carries great risks in American politics.  In 2000 and 2004, foreigners also preferred Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry over Bush. Americans don’t like it when their president is viewed as a lackey of or subservient to other nations. Jimmy Carter learned that lesson the hard way.

Nevertheless, Obama is preferred domestically and internationally as he enters into the convention to accept his party’s official endorsement as its standard bearer.  Third World people from Africa to the Caribbean and liberal minded people in Europe and America are rooting for him.

Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram