The provocative claim of this piece from Mexico’s La Jornada is that Barack would be the U.S.’ first true leftist president – a conclusion drawn after broad (and generous) surveys of both Democratic candidates’ strengths and qualifications.
Of Hillary,
She can move with agility and fluidity among the heads of established power. She is among her peers. She masters the best known circles of important decision-makers. She has the best direct experience of the behind-the-curtains maneuvers that influence any presidency. She lived them herself with mixed results while she lived in the White House. She masters as few people do the details of the programs she has been advancing as the objectives of her presidential aspirations. She can effortlessly and elegantly expose the most intricate details of her plan for universal social security and health
But of Obama,
Barack, on the other hand, is an inspiring politician. His attention is focused primarily on the lower-level people. He is sincerely welcome by the youth, Afro Americans and the educated higher middle class. He is being promoted by people from various extractions, who each time in larger and more enthusiastic numbers respond to his appeals. Obama always appeals to his voters, to the citizenry in general who are in need of help, and with whom he establishes strong ties. He has defended with unusual courage difficult positions.
And moreover,
Obama aims at modifying deeply the ways, habits and privileges of the politicians in Washington, and to destroy the knots that block or detrimentally affect the public programs. His priorities are socially oriented, including everyone and not leaving out, as is happening now, a great proportion of Americans from important benefits. But, above all, he has succeeded in imbuing people with the feeling that a profound change is unavoidable for the future of the country. He wants to transform not only politics, to make it a decent and responsible activity, but to change society itself to make it fairer, less excluding, and more unified.
To read the whole analysis, translated from Spanish on WATCHING AMERICA.com, click here.
Robin Koerner is a British-born citizen of the USA, who currently serves as Academic Dean of the John Locke Institute. He holds graduate degrees in both Physics and the Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge (U.K.). He is also the founder of WatchingAmerica.com, an organization of over 100 volunteers that translates and posts in English views about the USA from all over the world.
Robin may be best known for having coined the term “Blue Republican” to refer to liberals and independents who joined the GOP to support Ron Paul’s bid for the presidency in 2012 (and, in so doing, launching the largest coalition that existed for that candidate).
Robin’s current work as a trainer and a consultant, and his book If You Can Keep It , focus on overcoming distrust and bridging ideological division to improve politics and lives. His current project, Humilitarian, promotes humility and civility as a basis for improved political discourse and outcomes.