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The ‘Miracle’ of U.S. Democrats
Are America’s Democrats poised to do what they have done so many times before: blow the presidential race when they are widely expected to win?
Introducing his U.S. election forecast, Ilya Fortún, writing for Bolivia’s left-leaning daily, La Razon, writes in part:
“The North American Democratic Party is poised to become a political miracle-maker. You’ll be tempted to think that the miracle would be elevating a Black (sorry, African-American is the politically correct term) to the presidency of the most powerful country in the world. Nope. I was referring instead to the miracle of causing another Republican to succeed the most ill-fated and unpopular administration in living memory. The ill-fated part is my own; but the unpopular part is a global opinion which is shared by the Yankee electorate . I don’t remember the exact numbers, but the popularity polls crown our dear George W. with the incredible achievement of being more detested than Richard Nixon himself during his period of even greater disgrace.”
He then points out that there are two main issues in the U.S. election, Iraq and the economy. On both he says McCain will get the better of Obama.
Explaining why he thinks McCain will dominate Obama on Iraq, Fortún writes:
“While the Americans have realized that the war has been a fraud induced by powerful interests which led them to commit an injustice, I think over time they will become more inclined to giving the mandate for making for a dignified withdrawal to a man who has the credentials of a war hero, rather than to someone who simply opposed the invasion. They need someone to put an end the conflict and that, furthermore, will allow them to think that victory was achieved.”
By Ilya Fortún*
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
June 12, 2008
Bolivia – La Razon – Original Article (Spanish)
The North American Democratic Party is poised to become a political miracle-maker. You’ll be tempted to think that the miracle would be elevating a Black (sorry, African-American is the politically correct term) to the presidency of the most powerful country in the world. Nope. I was referring instead to the miracle of causing another Republican to succeed the most ill-fated and unpopular administration in living memory. The ill-fated part is my own; but the unpopular part is a global opinion which is shared by the Yankee electorate . I don’t remember the exact numbers, but the popularity polls crown our dear George W. with the incredible achievement of being more detested than Richard Nixon himself during his period of even greater disgrace.
I have already won several half-bottles of whisky betting friends that Obama would beat Hillary in the primaries and that John McCain will defeat Obama in the actual election. I base my prognosis on mere intuition, since U.S. politics has always seemed more boring to me than sucking on a nail. I have the impression, watching the process from afar, that this time the Democratic primaries were a kind of first round [Many countries, including Bolivia, have two rounds of voting if neither candidate wins over 50 percent of the vote in the first round]. Just as in other countries, the first round serves to allow voters to express their ideological positions. Democratic primary voters registered a strong vote of protest against the political system; the power of lobbyists in Washington; and the disproportionate influence of large corporations in politics. There seem to have been a sudden upwelling which has translated into a demand for change.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
4 Responses to “The ‘Miracle’ of U.S. Democrats”
*shakes head in dismay*
Look. I'm going to forego political-correctness and get down to the brass tacks of what nobody in the democratic party wants to hear. It has to do with racism and common sense. And no, the two are definitely not related but are integral aspects of the wide spectrum of people who make up the democratic party.
When I'm playing devil's (GOP) advocate here, it helps to consider that when it comes to bare-bones strategy, they think like reptiles..
1. The GOP/Big Media blatantly and shamelessly promoted Barack Obama in the primaries to “presumptive nominee” (Oh how they hoped and still do that Hillary will formally concede…she hasn't) knowing full well that there are way too many covertly or otherwise bigoted whites in the democratic party to make him a viable threat after the convention, number wise. And failing the bigoted angle, they knew that there are also way too many educated and practical people in the democratic party middle ground who are experienced enough to know that a smooth-talking, underexperienced Johnny-come-lately like Obama would spell a win for them in these troubled times. They are taking advantage of legitimate fear.
(did I mention they operate like reptiles?)
2. They actively sabotaged HIllary Clinton, knowing that not only the coverly or otherwise bigoted whites in the democratic party would support her upon her nomination, but that her longtime support of minorities would unify the Obama crowd as well for a real and viable threat to McCain. The GOP knows full well that Clinton would have white, minority and women's support. That's everyone folks. And worst of all (again, coming from their POV) Hillary Clinton's husband brought our country the strongest economy in US history. That was a demon they could not beat back to save their lives.
So who did they promote? Was it the candidate they knew who would split the democratic party into shards and gain them a win in November or the one who would unify all democrats and gain them a loss in November?
Remember, these guys have been doing this bit for decades and longer. They're professionals.. If you don't believe me, ask yourself why McCain hasn't gone for Obama's weakest of weak spots: His abuse of fellow progressive minorites in the Chicago election. Do you actually think that Obama abusing fellow minorities (his main base of support) has somehow slipped by the GOP? Do you think they'll let it rest in the interest of not stooping that low? Guess again. Look for that as soon as the August convention ends. There are so many GOP fingers crossed right now hoping Obama people will fight to the death to save their fatally flawed candidate to become the actual nominee come August that you wouldn't even believe.
It's so simple a kindergartener could figure it out. Yet still it seems to have escaped the radar of the delegates. Should we run a race on race? Obama says we should…and that's a big problem because it's a double-edged sword. He wants people to recognize blacks for their acheivements while simultaneously elevating himself without qualifications based on his racial ancestory. He wants to behave abusively towards minorities and gain their respect as their champion all at the same time.
And still no one notices this glaring aspect of racism. The situation is complex. That's why we MUST ignore the temptation to be drawn to race or gender and just look at resume's and who would be the most likely candidate for a win based on experience. If Obama had a resume' that listed active military service or experience as an ambassador..anything that might suggest he could handle the helm instead of flubb it, and if he himself had not brought up race as an issue, even bigots could see that he outshines McCain. Yet that's not on his resume'. And those other complex problems he himself has created with manipulating racism….he just cannot win folks. I'm speaking from the devil's POV and dammit, they're right.. At least on this one, and most crucial point.
It just happens this time around the more experienced and qualified democratic candidate also coincides with the one candidate who can also garner the most support come November.
Sometimes the truth is a bitter pill.
Remember, I'm foregoing political correctness now and telling you how it really is. Don't blame the messenger.
I'm sorry, I was supposed to be more concise.
The GOP has set a trap for democrats by promoting a patently unelectable candidate (see above).
Under no circumstances is walking into a trap a wise thing to do.
I don't see Obama as another Gore (supreme error-maker and election-as-well-as-debate-loser to Bush!) or Kerry. That's even if he were to have Jimmy Carter be his Vice Presidential selection and the two of them dust off the McGovern post-election plan. That describes what many Obama supporters would want, and it is repellent to most Americans, but Obama is seen as different (“change”) and has more Teflon in real or even in hypothetical circumstances (see above) than Reagan or Bush ever had or have had.
I don't believe the GOP is thinking like many a Dem voter this year, but is simply tired as well as incompetent and dysfunctional. Plus no matter how well they did, this isn't their year. Not only 2006 elections but easily observable sentiment now shows this.
The only things that can change this are lunges leftward by Obama or other Dems in the news that mortify Americans, or mistakes by Obama himself (or his family or people at the very top of his campaign who are assumed to do his bidding). If the Dems or Obama do these things, then Vote McCain, He's Safe and Sane.
By the way, calling Bolivia's daily news outlet La Razon left-leaning may be misleading. La Razon voices some of the strongest economic and political criticisms of Bolivia's current left-leaning government that I have seen. Thus I would classify it as right-leaning in the Bolivian political spectrum. Just because a foreign news outlet criticizes US foreign policy or US domestic politics does not make it left-leaning.