The negative turn taken by the McCain campaign over the past few weeks hasn’t escaped observers in other countries, and in fact has begun to elicit alarm.
Today’s editorial in France’s Le Monde newspaper notes with concern:
“For Republicans, disarmed by the unpopularity of Mr. Bush and the financial doldrums, the color of Mr. Obama’s skin is becoming the only argument left for opposing the Democratic candidate. He is attacked not only because he’s Black, but because his father was a Kenyan, because he lived in Indonesia, and because his “middle name,” inherited from her paternal grandmother, is Hussein.
Republicans have little to say about Obama’s choices in the area of energy or his fiscal proposals. They tolerate and often encourage racist slander, xenophobic lies and venomous rumors prevalent amongst extreme right-wing bigots and “White supremacists.” If Mr. McCain wins under these conditions, violence will menace America. If Mr. Obama is elected against this resurgence of hate, hope will prevail, but fear will continue to loom.
EDITORIAL
Translated By Philippe Guittard
September 15, 2008
France – Le Monde – Original Article (French)
After eight years of President George Bush, with their credit weakened by the debacle in their banking system – which threatens to plunge much of the world into crisis – the choice that Americans make in the presidential election on November 4 has particular significance.
The good news was the process of selecting candidates, which led to the designation of people remarkable for their intelligence, strength of character and independence of mind. On the Republican side, John McCain has confirmed throughout his long Senate career and his disputes with Mr. Bush, his status as a reformer able to ally himself with lawmakers on the other side of the aisle to correct some of the defects in the system. As a nationalist and of course a conservative, he defends the principles of freedom and morality that underlie American and Western society.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated and English-language foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
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