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Interest in US polls mounts
Most people in the Gulf are interested to know who would be the next president.
- By Sam Zakhem, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:03 July 23, 2008
During my last trip to the Gulf, I found great interest among the people in general about the upcoming American election. In particular, there is great concern over the presidential race between Republican nominee John McCain and the Democratic Party's candidate Barak Obama. Everyone I met, be it on the street, in Rulers' Diwans or among most businessmen, wanted to talk politics.
I was fascinated by how articulate and well informed these folks are concerning the contours of the political terrain in the United States. Through my experience in the region, I am aware of the degree of political sophistication among the citizenry of the Gulf, but I am amazed at how closely everyone seems to be following US elections. I only wish the American people were as well informed and as engaged in our nation's political process.
I found disappointment among some about the failed campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton. There are those who believed (or hoped) that Hillary would be the Democratic Party nominee. These folks have great respect and admiration for former president Bill Clinton. Many on the other hand, were jubilant that Obama won the hard-fought primary and may very well become the first black American elected president of the United States.
Support for Obama is manifest particularly among young executives with whom I had the pleasure of visiting. They are the same people who were most outspoken in their opposition to US policies in Iraq and the Middle East in general and who were adamant in their criticism of President George W. Bush. Among Obama supporters, there are many who are aware of the candidate's youth and lack of experience, particularly in the realm of foreign policy.
Obama's statement
Businessmen seem particularly concerned about his fiscal and monetary policies and profess a scepticism resulting from Obama's statements to the Israel-American Political Action Committee expressing strong support for Israel. They question his sincerity about bringing change to Washington on this critical foreign policy issue.
McCain also has his supporters - those who show concern with the prevailing unrest and economic instability in the Middle East and world-wide. McCain's age, military service, and foreign policy experience seem to be strong traits that attract his supporters in the Gulf. His detractors cite his Republican Party association with Bush and support for the Iraq war. These views seem to be shared by some Americans opposed to McCain. They claim that a McCain presidency will amount to a third term for Bush. Because I know McCain, having worked and spoken with him on a number of matters, I adamantly disagree with this assessment.
All in all, there is good understanding of American politics among the people of the Gulf. What may be missing, in general, is the awareness of the many independent variables will likely play an untold role in American elections.
Among them: What will the Evangelicals do? Will they campaign and vote for the Republican candidate or will they abstain from voting for McCain because he is perceived to be too moderate? Who will the candidates pick for their vice-presidential running mates? Will women who voted for Hillary 'bury the hatchet' and vote and campaign for Obama? Who will the unaffiliated (also called independents) support? What will be the effect of third party candidates?
This election will have two viable third party candidates in Ralph Nader (Green Party) and former Congressman Bob Barr (Libertarian Party). Finally, there is the all important factor of race. The question that nobody can answer is: What will rural, white, Democratic or independent voters, who are anti-black, do when they get in the ballot booths?
In some primaries, black Americans voted for Obama solely on the basis of race. Will there be a white backlash?
Sam Zakhem is a former US Ambassador to Bahrain.
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