Ahr, well... The colors of fall is blowing in at full blast and the wind is getting noticeably chillier... Just like the atmosphere at the US elections.
And at full blast is, the all attention consuming US election... The campaigns are firering off the heaviest ammo they can muster and the dirtiest truths, half-truths and right out lies, they can possibly dig up. And all this without coming across like an angry, impulsive wildcard as opposed to a determined, informed pro...Cold or presidential? And so on, and on and on....! "An ugly campaign, is getting harder to do, on account of the internet"- says Huffingtonpost
Now that Barack Obama is going to Hawaii to visit his sick Granny Toot. Michelle Obama, his very capable wife and selfprofessed "Obama Mama" is going to do the talking for a couple of days...(Can you imagine Cindy McCain do that?) The media speculated on the effect on the swing- voters of this trip, and should his Campaign managers now be nervous?
For me, this would only take away the last hesitation, if any! This proves that; Obama is, what he say he is; A man concerned about the soft as well as the hard issues. And thus; All cries of Obama being way too slick, cold and smooth for his own or the nations good... must now be silenced...!
But humans with their emotional likes and dislikes are indeed a fickle affair...
What it all boils down to is that all of this, is all of it in the eye of the beholder!
There's no telling what they might do, when the day comes. When Non-Joe the Non-Plumber, stands all by his lonesome in the booth with only his maker as his witness, where he'll put his cross or whatever fantastic system the Americans have dreamed up! - The first reports of voting machines with a mind of their own, is already coming in - This is promising!
On CNN; I saw a map of the world, decked out like a political map of US.
In the case of the world having a vote in this election, the map was almost entirely Democratically blue - Georgia and Russia would go to John McCain, though! -( How can your have a running mate; Sarah Palin, who will not give interviews?)
But this brings me back to my old utopian idea of a system for global "voting". A vote that didn't count as a US citizenship vote would or should, but should count never the less, they have super-delegates and electorals in the American elections already. This could be like; An amount of people, picked at random. The number is according to size of the country. Every country in the world is involved. And everyone should have a say/vote. From Albania to Japan.
America and whoever is running the show is a huge influence on all of our lives - Just throw a sideway glance at the finance rumble!- whether we like or not, and we should therefore have a say in their elections. This would only be fair.... But it will never be.... but still...!
If you want to play with political maps go to RealClear Politics site, also a great place for any questions, you might have about American Politics... which is a bit mysterious for Europeans as my self. - Oh, and they have authors from both sides - Elephants and Donkeys alike!
The gap is flexible, and it's apparently a uphill battle for McCain, who is loosing Colorado...or rather searching for a trick to win the election without winning Colorado, New Mexico and Iowa.... Good luck on that one! And McCain is currently harping on Obamas inexperience on national security and therefore being a danger to the nation. But I think that Rep. Colin Powells endorsement of Obama, pretty much neutralizes that statement!! - And Obama is leading with 9 points...
And right now McCain is grabbing on to anything, that comes his way or not, to hook on voters; Like; Obama hanging out with baseball players of different clubs and claiming to be fan of them all, depending of which state he's in, that Obama is a socialist, you name it.. nothing is too small, too petty as not to be thrown in.
Does being a Vietnam POW, makes you an expert on the matter of all concerning national securities and foreign policies? Or maybe just a expert on being a POW? This is said with the outmost respect to what the man must have endured!
A Danish taxidriver told me, that he was certain, that Obama will be assasinated, if he makes it to office....; "The Americans will never allow a black man as President" Man, that's a disturbing thought!
say ( yep, yet another danish link -sorry!!); "One of the real problems, is the divided nation. Well, that's not exactly news. Both candidates have shout outs for a united America. But I hadn't thought of the consequences; (but maybe that's just me) And this is, that everyone keeps to their own side of political observation; Only reading/hearing/seeing what their peers has to say, do... etc. And that's how; outrageous, die hard rumors E.g. "Obama is a Muslim" can live a long and undisputed life.
Each side have their "own" radio/TV personalities, who can pour gasoline on the mythic bonfires to their hearts content... No " Presse etisk råd" (Council of media- ethics) to keep journalists in check here, or keeping the blunt and uninhibited media personalities on the straight and narrow -( Think O'Reilly on Fox) Being objective is not the name of the game ...!! Try and watch something like CNN's "The situation room" Everyone in that studio is biased and openly so...! I have talked to conservative Americans, and they prefer Fox news and thinks of CNN as too biased !! Just to show you, that we tend think that our opponents are the only one who's partial to the facts
But anyways... I know what Martin Krasnik means, though... As I sometimes have a hard time listening to people of other political observation, than my own... I do tend to either turn them off or turn the page. Because it does have an effect on my blood pressure, when I try to exercise some restraint and sit through an interview with the likes of the danish right-wing politician and extreme patriot; Pia Kjærsgård...( Link in danish) But if I don't pay attention to the people, who is of a different opinion, than my own, then how can I even pretend to be informed...?
When it comes to; Websites, documentaries, books and news-paper articles etc.etc ; I find, that the Objective author/instigator is a creature in danger of extinction....
On that note, I wanted to read a american newspaper and as I still don't have my Mac back from repairs, I thought I'd treat myself to the Sunday edition of "The New York Times" (Talking about keeping to ones own! ) And yes, it is a rare treat, when in Denmark, one has to pay; 80,- Dkr (14,15$) for a copy.... Somehow the slow death of the printed word, doesn't come as a surprise! But at least the Sunday ed. is as abundant in reading matter as the spanish "El Pais" Sunday edition. NYT comes with two glittery magazines, a Book, a Arts& Leisure, a Travel, a Styles, a Week in review, a Sports and a Business supplements.... So there's enough for the rest of the week.... Served up with my latest flame: Ben and Jerry's "Bohemian Raspberry" Now that "Cherry Garcia" is so very hard to find in these parts!
Ice cream goes really well with Dutch "Stroopwafels", American Politics
and the oncomming elections, which I find as fascinating as a great J. Le Carré novel....
(All Stroopwafels is courtesy of Ninon & Simon in Amsterdam)
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