So today is the day for the Iowa Caucus. Maybe not all that meaningful politically-wise in this small Midwest Deep America rural State, but it's the first...
On the Democrat camp, Barack Obama is said winning in the latest poll by a 7 point margin against Hillary R. Clinton.
Watching him on CNN this morning I couldn't help thinking that his baseline "Change we Can Believe In" is significantly more appropriate than the "rupture" motto so widely used by Nicolas Sarkozy in his French Presidential campaign (and later) : Barack Obama is young (46), black, has never participated in any government and never favored war in Irak (contrary to H. Clinton).
While over 80% of French citizens go and vote for their President-to-be-elected, only half of the American people does so. America is strong and very business-oriented, works hard, and I believe Americans don't really rely on their President to save them from anything and very obviously they don't make up their minds on the same grounds as the French people !
Georges W. Bush would stand absolutely no chance in France, but he was nonetheless re-elected in 2004 with a very comfortable margin. This means a lot on how Americans decide and what they want as for their President.
Americans don't care that much after all about the choice of their President, as long as he's a winner (or looks so), positive and inspiring.
For the Americans and for the image of America, I personaly strongly favor Barack Obama...
Update Jan 4th : Barack has just won in Iowa with an 8 point lead vs Edwards (38% vs 30%). Clinton comes 3rd only with 28%. As for the Republicans, it's Mike Huckabee who wins with 34% vs 25% for Mormon billionair Romney.
Well, you said : "he was nonetheless re-elected in 2004 with a very comfortable margin"
I may remind you that the majority of the voting machine were built by a company that's CEO is a strong republican and good friend of the Bush clan....
Agreed, while living in America I whent trough the 2001 and 2004 election (sorry almost said scam) and found that contrary to France a great majority of the people there do not feel concern about any political issues while French people do well too much :-)
Barack Obama seems good, but not sure if he has enough political and power experience has Mrs Clinton does ....
Anyway, has many of my american friend says : All but bigot republican !
Posted by: Olivier | January 03, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Olivier:
- even factoring in the controversy around the voting machines, in 2004 Bush won a landslide victory no matter the margin error. Americans deliberately chose to support their commander-in-chief as the war in Irak was still unfloding.
- "Barack Obama seems good, but not sure if he has enough political and power experience has Mrs Clinton does"
that is precisely because he has no political experience nation-wide whatsoever that he is so popular. The USA favors the myth of the new man emerging out of nowhere (see clinton in 1992). There is no cursus honorum akin to the French career path in the USA, be it in the political or the business field. As counter-intuitive as it seems, Hillary has too much experience....she has been involved in the political fight for more than 15 years, and entangled in bitter and nasty skirmishes with the other camp. She is endorsed by the establishment, and no matter her skills, she can not pretend to bring a fresh air to American politics.
Posted by: sebastien(ny) | January 03, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Sebastien, I couldn't find better words, thanks !
Posted by: Michel de Guilhermier | January 03, 2008 at 08:09 PM