According to Brazilian columnist William Waack, after over a year of campaigning, Barack Obama has failed to sufficiently define himself. And the Republicans – with Hillary’s help – have already begun to do just that.
Explaining the vagaries of America’s presidential race to Brazilians, Waack writes for O Globo:
“Hillary made it quite clear to the Republican campaign machine on which points Obama appears vulnerable: for example, he needs to start wearing American flag pins on his lapels. It may seem ridiculous to the Brazilian public, but for Americans, demonstrating patriotism every second is crucial for any candidate.”
When the Republicans talk about ‘values,’ what do they refer to aside from issues that are clearly ethical and moral, such as gay marriage or abortion? The Republican electoral machine speaks mainly of things like a commitment to work (rather than assistance programs funded by the state), sympathy for the victims of crime (instead of ‘understanding’ the social situation that led someone to be a criminal) and the protection of borders (instead of tolerating entry of illegal immigrants).
And then on nationalism and the projection of power, Waack writes:
“There is something more that the United States electorate values greatly – and here [in Brazil] this would be called the appeal exerted by the Armed Forces and the projection of American power (defined as imperial, decadent, or whatever the reader may choose). The fact is that a good part of the electorate that both McCain and Obama want to conquer considers it essential in terms of foreign policy for the president not only to talk tough, but to promise to act tough.”
By William Waack
Translated By Brandi Miller
May 12, 2008
Brazil – O Globo – Original Article (Portuguese)
Maureen Dowd, perhaps the most bruising American political columnist, invented a way for Barack Obama to punish Hillary Clinton for everything she has said during the internal fight of the Democrats. Just name her as Vice President, suggested Dowd in The New York Times .
The way she is, continues the columnist, Hillary would have a stomach ache every day she wakes up knowing that it’s Obama and not her who is head of the American nation …and she would console herself by recalling that 14 American Vice Presidents ended up assuming the office.
But for Dowd, the joke stops there. She points out that Obama isn’t even in Hillary’s league in terms of aggressiveness, tenacity and political stature – which seems to paralyze him – while he has proven great at delighting the public. This may have been the main “service” provided by Hillary during the political campaign, albeit involuntarily.
It’s now clear that Obama has to hurry up and say who he is – although one might ask: why is it that at this point in the campaign, Obama has yet to say who he is? Precisely. A national election is completely different from a dispute between Democrats. Hillary seemed very strong when compared to Obama, in exactly those populous states that make the difference between Republicans and Democrats in the national vote count.
Hillary made it quite clear to the Republican campaign machine on which points Obama appears vulnerable: for example, he needs to start wearing American flag pins on his lapels. It may seem ridiculous to the Brazilian public, but for Americans, demonstrating patriotism every second is crucial for any candidate.
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