Obama a Jimmy Carter in the Making …

Barack Obama may be the most popular candidate for the U.S. presidency in most parts of the world – but certainly not in Colombia.

In suggesting why the Colombian government shouldn’t bother planning for an anticipated Obama victory, Hernan Gonzalez Rodriguez writes for El Espectador:

“We still have a long way to go to the presidential elections in November, more than sufficient time for the intentions of the voters to change. … There is no doubt that as far as the interests of Colombia are concerned, McCain would be the ideal president. But it’s the same for the middle and upper classes of the United States. McCain would be ideal, especially after listening to the pacifist and naive Neville Chamberlain-ideas of Obama in regard to confronting Iran, inasmuch as the Iranian threat is real and one fears a repeat of the Democratic government of Jimmy Carter, who was a disastrous dolt as much for the United States as for the rest of the Western world. ”

Then taking aim at Democrats in general, Rodriguez writes:

“The issue is that the Democrats lack vision in international affairs. For example, look at the issue of the “assassinations of Colombian trade unionists.” For them this is such a serious fault that they can’t sign a Free Trade Agreement with their first ally in Latin America. It hasn’t occurred to the myopic Democrats that by emphasizing the unproven murders of Colombian trade unionists as an argument against the FTA, they may well encourage such killings by President Uribe’s own enemies.”

By Hernán González Rodríguez

Translated By Miguel Guttierez

May 26, 2008

Colombia – El Espectador – Original Article (Spanish)

A recent Portfolio editorial recommends that, “The Government (of Colombia) design and develop a plan now to draw closer to whoever the Democratic Party chooses to run in the United States elections.”

is because, according to Portfolio, “surveys show a slight advantage for Obama over McCain, a scenario that could alter policies on Iraq, the United States economy … and the way the two candidates conduct their campaigns and their messages.”

We still have a long way to go to the presidential elections in November, more than sufficient time for the intentions of the voters to change. Having spoken recently with some Democrats in the U.S. about whether Hillary Clinton should withdraw – and this is in conformity with the polls – a third of her supporters would vote for Obama, another third wouldn’t vote at all, and the final third, a large group of businessmen, laborers and middle class Whites, say they’ll vote for John McCain. “Whites,” one of them claimed, “are not yet mentally prepared to vote for an ethereal Black dilettante.” And then there are others who argue that Hillary would have been a stronger competitor for McCain than Obama.

There is no doubt that as far as the interests of Colombia are concerned, McCain would be the ideal president. But it’s the same for the middle and upper classes of the United States. McCain would be ideal, especially after listening to the pacifist and naive Neville Chamberlain-ideas of Obama in regard to confronting Iran, inasmuch as the Iranian threat is real and one fears a repeat of the Democratic government of Jimmy Carter, who was a disastrous dolt as much for the United States as for the rest of the Western world. …

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.