Democratic Primary Boosts U.S. Image Around the World

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: The Washington Post

LONDON, June 4 -- For much of the world, Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the Democratic primaries was a moment to admire the United States, at a time when the nation's image abroad is in tatters.

From hundreds of supporters crowded around televisions in rural Kenya, Obama's ancestral homeland, to jubilant Britons writing "WE DID IT!" on the "Brits for Barack" site on Facebook, people celebrated what they called an important racial and generational milestone for the United States.

"This is close to a miracle. I was certain that some things will not happen in my lifetime," said Sunila Patel, 62, a widow encountered on the streets of New Delhi. "A black president of the U.S. will mean that there will be more American tolerance for people around the world who are different."

Much of the interest simply reflects hunger for change from President Bush, who is deeply unpopular in much of the world. At the same time, many people abroad seemed impressed -- sometimes even shocked -- by the wide-open nature of U.S. democracy, and the history-making race between a woman and a black man.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/04/AR2008060402360.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kaleko]

7. Yikes, the post I was replying to was deleted.

:+

[Blue State Bandit]

2. Wow!

To the OP, this is what we all were working towards.

[llmart]

3. Note to world.....

just wait until we have President Obama. We will once again regain some of the status we lost under the Idiot in Chief we have now.

[Xenotime]

37. When we have that and a dem congress. WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY!!!

[paparush]

44. Note To World (2): When the 2008 Presidential Election is Stolen - Please send in troops.

[frog92969]

4. It'll be nice

to have a President who won't get protested throughout the world.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Hunger for change from President Bush

who is deeply unpopular in much of the world - period.

"The history-making race between a woman and a black man" , their words not mine, is an issue personal to the USA itself and of little consequence elsewhere on the planet.

Aside from that I'm delighted that Obama won.

[fbahrami]

6. Nice story ...

"World impressed by level of tolerance and open-mindedness of America for democratically choosing a leader."

Of course, inevitably the bombs will fall, because the U.S. President serves the U.S. power structure.

I really hope for peace, but it's hard to see that (e.g. Iraq) - even with Obama in office. Of course, McCain probably wins and all we have is a nice story of American open-mindedness for giving women and minorities a chance.

[AlanAdam]

8. Note to Sunila Patel in New Delhi

Glad that you no longer see the US as so intolerant. Now, about those 300 million Dalits (untouchables) who live in unbearable slavery in your homeland ...

[smitra]

9. Think before making sweeping generalizations.....

FYI, the chief minister (equivalent to Governor) of one of the largest states in India - Uttar Pradesh - is currently a Dalit (so-called untouchable) woman, named Mayawati. The President of India (yes, a ceremonial post) from 1997-2002 was a Dalit, K R Narayanan. Just as Barack Obama being elected President of US will not immediately erase the ghettos in inner cities where millions of Americans (mostly minorities) live in unbearable conditions, these facts about Dalit accomplishment do not mean that Dalits in India now live well as a rule. But to say that 300 million are living in SLAVERY is surely uncalled for.

Read up about the Affirmative Action programs in India that have been in place for more than 50 years now.

[AlanAdam]

40. Dalits in India ...

A few years ago (5 or less) National Geographic did a detailed story about life for Dalits in India. The lives of hundreds of millions of low/out castes in India are similar to the lives of blacks in America during the 19th and early 20th century, and this has been true in India for at least a thousand years. AA programs in India make for good propaganda, but the reality in India hasn't changed, or if it has, it has changed very little.

[smitra]

41. Nonsense.....

Once again, I would say -- stop making sweeping generalizations about a country and a culture about which you apparently know very little. No one is denying that life has been abysmal for Dalits in India for many centuries, and continues to be so for many. But to say that the Affirmative Action programs are just for propaganda value and nothing else is just nonsense.

Easy to begin to educate yourself - go to Wikipedia. Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_%28outcaste%29. Scroll down to the subsection entitled 'Reform Movements'. Get a preview of how life has changed for many Dalits.

Making sweeping generalizations shows a close-mindedness that should be out of place in a forum like this. On the same lines of the comments you made, I could also assert that life for African-Americans in this country seems to have changed very little - given the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict (barely a decade and a half ago), the number of African-Americans in jail as compared to whites, the fact that the murder news in many newspapers mostly seems to involve African-Americans (at least where I live), etc. etc.

[AlanAdam]

43. I'll see your link and raise you one ...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables_2.html

After some consideration, I was wrong to use the term "propaganda" in an above post. Forgive my hyperbole -- it's a tendency of mine that I'm trying to break. But as the article cited above states, in India laws against low/no caste humans have made little to no difference in the lives of the suffering people the laws were intended to help.

[smitra]

45. Thanks for acknowledging your tendency to hyberbole...

And may I respectfully suggest that you also make an honest effort to realize that the truth is much more complex than the 'dark' view presented in this one article that you posted a link too. That is the point I have tried to make in my posts in this sub-thread, and also present FACTS to back them up. I have NOT said that things are all OK with the so-called 'untouchables' nowadays. But to state that 'little or no difference in the lives of suffering people has been made', when facts show that one of the largest states in India has a democratically-elected Dalit woman as the chief executive (among many other Dalit accomplishments), borders on the ludicrous.

Persisting with pre-conceived biases and prejudices does not make for a healthy exchange of views.

[ballsalicious]

10. World welcomes Obama win

Source: AP




LONDON (AP) - Barack Obama's triumph over Hillary Clinton triggered jubilation among his relatives in Kenya, hope among people around the world—and a few questions about he actually stands for.
Many expressed optimism Wednesday that a November victory by Obama—who has relatives in Africa and childhood friends in Asia—would mark a major shift from the deeply unpopular policies of the Bush administration.

In Kenya, home to Obama's family on his father's side, the Kenya Times newspaper devoted its front page to the story, under the headline "Obama makes history."

"I've just watched him on television, and as a family we are very happy. Really, it is something that is a trendsetter," the politician's uncle, Said Obama, told The Associated Press from the port city of Kisumu in western Kenya.

In Mexico City, hairdresser Susan Mendoza's eyes lit up when she learned Obama had clinched the nomination.

"Bush was for the elite. Obama is of the people," she said.



Read more: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D913D81O0&show_article=1

[Blaq Dem]

11. Fantabulous!

The whole world is watching! The world wants Obama. Obama has that international appeal. I totally agree, he's people-friendly.

[Jefferson23]

12. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[geiger]

13. from Madrid; the story is Casa Blanca. I love it (lived in Madrid for a year and my favorite movie

is CasaBlanca

http://www.elpais.com/global/

[geiger]

14. Germans vote Obama "best Presidential candidate"

http://www.thelocal.de/12191/20080530/

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

34. We just got back from Europe

I wore a lot of my anti-Bush shirts (and my Obama 2008 shirt) - I received lots of positive attention from both our tour group and other tourists in Italy.

[maxsolomon]

15. "Bush was for the elite. Obama is of the people," she said.

ARE YOU LISTENING, "ELITIST"-BASHERS?

[ThatsMyBarack]

30. That line was my favorite part!

:hi: :patriot:

[unapatriciated]

31. If I'm not mistaken...

he referred to them as his base.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn4daYJzyls

[blayne]

16. This is the best part about the whole thing.

That he could restore our standing in the world, is as important as restoring our constitution. I am elated knowing that he will work to do both and so much more.

[ballsalicious]

17. the way the world i today... i think it is as important

[trickyguy]

32. K&R for you. I totally agree. He's certainly equiped to restore our constitution. Very good news.

[stillcool]

18. The world can't wait...

and neither can I.

[Zavulon]

19. I sent that link in to Hillary.

I hope the tears are real this time. :rofl:

[ckramer]

20. With Obama sucking up Israel like Hillary

I am not sure if these people's overjoy are justified.

[Kaleko]

28. Sorry, posted on the wrong thread

[xxqqqzme]

21. and the world waits

to see if we f*ck it up again. That big sucking sound is the rest of the world waiting to exhale.

[matt007]

24. Exactly

I think that if we blow this one then it will be unforgiveable with the rest of the world.

[LeftishBrit]

22. Most of the world is sick of Bush and his influence...

and is waiting hopefully for the day when President Obama walks into the White House after TROUNCING McInsane!

[uppityperson]

23. Link to "Today's front pages"...

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages

[texastoast]

25. Hmm.

Very telling on some of those papers about just how enthusiastic they are about the news. Or, I could just be making that up looking through jaded glasses.

[uppityperson]

27. Yup, not everyone is thrilled about this.

[vinylsolution]

26. Funny how history repeats....

We Brits felt just the same sense of relief when Tony Blair came along, selling his basket of hollow platitudes.

Remember, Obama was hand-picked by mass-murderer Henry Kissinger and the rest of the Bilderberg mob, approved by AIPAC, and is also a member of the treasonous Council on Foreign Relations.

Beware, America.... I'm worried this could be "More of the same Obama."

[Raksha]

29. I won't forget it. .I support Obama, but he wasn't my first choice

and I'm keeping my eyes wide open. I have a feeling the electorate may have to hold his feet to the fire after he's elected, to make sure he doesn't just talk the talk the way Bill Clinton did...

Re Remember, Obama was hand-picked by mass-murderer Henry Kissinger and the rest of the Bilderberg mob, approved by AIPAC, and is also a member of the treasonous Council on Foreign Relations.

Beware, America.... I'm worried this could be "More of the same Obama."

[texastoast]

39. Yes, you are right, but about any politician

And I, for one, have absolutely no problem at all holding the candidate's feet to the fire, my own first choice (who didn't make it here) included.

Obama was chosen by the people. And he best represent us.

[EFerrari]

33. We're trying, World!

:woohoo:

[bamacrat]

35. Yes, but I have a feeling will be used as a negative by the pukes.

I don't understand why people are so stupid to think that the rest of the world liking our president is a bad thing. We've had our try with the over privileged frat boy douche bag president. We need to have a president that is no one thing, but an amalgom of all americans. Who else but BARACK OBAMA.

[AlphaCentauri]

36. the world is expecting the democratic party change the foreign polices that have prevail for 150

years

[superconnected]

38. Obama is already restoring hope for America and the world

[fujiyama]

42. Can you imagine the world reaction if/when Obama were to tour other nations?

He's going to be swarmed...making his Portland rally look like nothing. I really think he has the potential to be one of the greatest - and most effective presidents in US history.