Obama, Hillary and McCain: The New American Revolution

As has already been well-established, the level of global interest in America’s 2008 presidential race is unprecedented. In this analysis from Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza, Tomasz Lis sums up the revolutionary nature of this year’s candidates this way, “Obama has undoubtedly already revolutionalized American politics, and if he wins in November it may presage revolution on a global scale. … Even if Hillary doesn’t win, it won’t be because of her sex. So here again we are facing a revolution in the once testosterone-driven world of American politics. … A John McCain victory would also be a breakthrough: A politician who speaks his mind openly and, seemingly naively, supports an absolutely unpopular war, could become a President!”

By Tomasz Lis

Translated By Halszka Czarnocka

February 7, 2008

Poland – Gazeta Wyborcza – Original Article (Polish)

After seven years of the George Bush administration, the United States has lost quite a bit of its sex appeal. But thanks to American politics and a fascinating presidential campaign, it is quickly regaining it. However it ends, the campaign has already shown that this time around, rules that have been in force for upwards of 230 years will soon be broken. It’s still a long way to the finish line, but one can already say that this campaign is eliminating the most obstinate barriers: those of skin color, sex and party doctrine. America wants a change, but a great change has already occurred.

Here we are dealing with a great horse race during which candidates have plenty of difficult obstacles to overcome. But the most treacherous have already been crossed. This campaign is like a beacon of hope for non-whites, women, and for those who took entering into one’s seventies as a signal to retire into an often unwanted withdrawal from active life.

In his Super Tuesday speech, Senator Barack Obama suggested with great conviction that “our time has come.” That remains to be seen, but Obama has undoubtedly already revolutionalized American politics, and if he wins in November it may presage revolution on a global scale.

America has had young presidents before (such as Theodore Roosevelt or John Kennedy) and inexperienced presidents (like Kennedy and Jimmy Carter), but it has never has a Black candidate, and a young, relatively inexperienced one to boot, who lacks the support of his own party establishment and had such a good chance of winning. It seems that someone who can embody CHANGE can actually bring change just by just trying.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign may give hope to many women, even those who consider Mrs. Clinton an embodiment of aggressive feminism.

Up to now, a woman’s place in the White House has been in the East Wing, and if she did reach the West Wing, it wasn’t the Oval Office. Even if Hillary doesn’t win, it won’t be because of her sex. So here again we are grappling with a revolution in the once testosterone-driven world of American politics. A woman who 16-years-ago offended many Americans by saying she wasn’t willing to stay home and bake cookies may now be on the threshold of the White House, while still showing no inclination to take up baking.

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