An open letter to Barack Obama
Dear Senator Obama
Welcome to notAmerica. On behalf of all notAmericans, I hope you enjoy your few days with us, but you do know, don't you, that we don't have a vote on 4 November?
We don't really mind too much being extras in your campaign ads, because we are, after all, curious about you. You're obviously a star (why else would all three network TV news anchors be travelling with you?), and you may well be the next US president. So yes, of course, we'll turn out to see you, if we can find you - just as we would for any other US super-star.
We know you'll have to be careful not to look too much at home among us foreigners ... apparently some of your potential supporters are already wondering if you're not too foreign, what with your Kenyan dad, and your Indonesian childhood and everything. So we'll understand if you don't want to be photographed eating sauerkraut in Berlin, drinking red wine in Paris or playing cricket in London.
But I'm sure our political leaders will be delighted to be photographed with you ... they're quite superstitious in some ways, and they think that if they get really close, even just for a few minutes, some of that Obama magic dust might rub off on them. Don't attach too much importance to it, though - they all know the game well enough to understand that what you say to them now ("historic ties, deep bonds of friendship, valued allies, shared ideals" - all that kind of stuff) won't necessarily mean much if/when you move into the White House.
You've probably heard that if we notAmericans did get to vote, you'd be a shoo-in. But I imagine that doesn't thrill you too much, because the more we say we support you, the more suspicious some of your American folk might be. So, as I say, we'll understand if you seem a bit stand-offish.
The truth is we tend not to fall in love with politicians here in notAmerica - so we'll probably reserve judgment on you till we see what you do, rather than what you say. But you're welcome anyway, and if you want a nice warm glass of beer during the few hours you're planning to be in London, just call. I'm sure your people will be able to find my number ...
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~03~RS~)
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You make a very good point with your penultimate paragraph. I am reminded of the last election, when The Guardian urged readers to send letters across the Atlantic to undecided voters in Clark County, Ohio (a swing state), urging them not to vote for Bush. The result? A significant swing to Bush, who ended up winning Ohio and therefore the Presidency.
That said, I take objection to the overall tone of the letter. Although many Americans do seem to be suspicious of the opinions of foreigners, I'm not sure I would include Mr. Obama in that category. He is an intelligent man who, I am sure, has a strong grasp of international geography and politics, and is not as insular in his thinking as the incumbent. To use the term "notAmerica" in your letter seems to imply you think he does not know of any country other than the USA, which is undoubtedly not true. You appear to be trying to apply the national stereotype to a person whom it clearly should not apply, which is very patronising and bordering on racist.
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PS. Gordon has just popped out to Iraq but he'll be back in a jiffy. If you are going that way, perhaps you could share a plane on the way back and help save the planet?
Ali, the little darling, is busy loading the Treasury rules from his PC onto a laptop which he is planning on leaving on the Tube. It's how we get rid of unwanted data over here.
Anyway, have a good holiday. Give our love to that nice President Bruni and do find a few minutes for young Gordon if you can, because he may not be Prime Minister by the time you become President and that would be an awful pity wouldn't it?
Byeeeee!
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"we tend not to fall in love with our politicians in notAmerica"; damn right; we forget them.
Let's hope Obama learns from the bitterness, pragmatism and honesty of our relationship with politicians!
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I always watch what "notAmericans" invest in when the enter the American markets. They invariably pick very bad choices. Mitsubishi Bank I think bought Rockerfeller Center and it went broke. Daimler bought Chrysler for about 30 billion and then a few years later dumped it for 6. And I watch what they buy in the stock market and real estate. It's a very reliable negative indicator.
So when they have bought this American politician Obama in the political market, if I had any lingering doubts about his incapacity to function as President of the United States, they have been dispelled. But there's an old saying that nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public and so Obama has a fighting chance of winning, the election insane as that sounds. Why is it insane? Because after just two years of experience in government, nobody could be qualified to perform in the most complicated job in the world with potentially the direst of consequence from a mistake.
I expect that IF he does get in, it won't be long before there is a bad case of buyer's regret both among Americans and "notAmericans." For us it will be his utter incompetence especially as the economy continues to erode. But abroad, I think a lot of people will be surprised at both the positions he takes they don't expect and the actons he takes they want him to. On Iraq, I think he will pull the troops out quickly just as he promised and just as much of the world says it wants and as a result, Iraq will degenerate into chaos with a regional war. All of the leaders of the current government will be instantly marked men. I think he's not going to bring all those troops home, many will go to Afghanistan where he wants to wage a far fiercer battle against the Taleban and al Qaeda. It would not surprise me if he invades and even bombs Pakistan. He's talked about it. And I think Europeans will be very shocked and surprised at his protectonist trade policies. They have not been paying attention to what he has said or who his friends are in this regard. It is McCain who wants free and open trade to continue. Finally, the question of Iran looms very large. No telling what he'll do especially if tensions towards war escalate. In all likelihood, whatever he does, it will turn out to be the wrong thing.
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Despite a bit of pique, I think Lustig has it about right!
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You don't have to be American to be affected by its actions: Banking crisis, food prices, and Wars of Choice while we leave NATO to fight our real war. So having an opinon on the politic in America is worth your while. After all the President of the United States is the so-called Leader of the Free World. This is a statement to let you know what George W. Bush has meant to the world these past 7.8 years.
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Don't forget Tony Blair got rich for sucking up!
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As Sen. Barack Obama passes through Europe on his first trip abroad, the polls show overwhelming majorities favoring him over Sen. McCain. This indicates greater enthusiasm for his candidacy which exceeds that in the US where his support level is closer to 55% or less. Even supporters of Obama harbor some reservations because of the hammering on his relative inexperience by the McCain camp and the general media. Some of the comments above reflect the attitude in the US population. The European response undoubtedly reflects the psychology of distance invoking admiration while proximity invokes scepticism. But I think the caution expressed in Robin Lustig's commentary about Obama's popularity in Europe potentially hurting his candidacy in the US, is also common in the US media, and in my opinion is a reflection of suspicion of Europe that goes deeper than the easily arrived at opinions might indicate.
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If you could pronounce his name properly, Lustyboy, you might be worthy of more attention.
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expertsceptic
It is not suspicion. In the last few years Europeans have managed to turn American attitudes towards them ranging from indifference to disdain into contempt. Read Obama's words carefully. Listen to what he is saying rather than what you want to hear in it. His sentiments towards Europe are not all that far away from most Americans including President Bush's. He's just managed to wrap them in a nicer package with a ribbon around it.
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