Election News and Features
World Eyes U.S. Presidential Race
by
findingDulcinea Staff
The foreign media show a keener-than-usual interest in the 2008 presidential primaries. Opinions on U.S. electoral system and the candidates vary around the world.
30-Second Summary
U.S. democracy is as much the focus of world attention as the candidates themselves. Op-eds extolling the virtues of the American electoral process are commonplace, though in no way represent a global consensus.
A staff writer for the Beirut Daily Star said that the U.S. electoral system is a model for democracy, as evidenced by the primaries.
Columnists from several British papers went even further by suggesting that Britain needs to adopt the primary system, which would subject U.K. candidates to the rigorous scrutiny their American counterparts endure.
The Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the participation of Barack Obama in the race proves America’s “inexhaustible capacity for regeneration, innovation and transformation.” That sentiment was echoed by a British columnist from The Guardian who says that American politics is invigorated by outsiders with fresh ideas. By comparison, Britain’s professional political class rarely has anything new to offer.
German magazine Der Spiegel differed in its take on Obama, writing that it is naïve to think that affable outsiders always stimulate democracy. George W. Bush was a Washington outsider, according to Der Spiegel, and he “played the nice guy too. And look what happened.”
In a similarly critical vein, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle argued that the U.S. electoral process is unnecessarily drawn out and expensive. Big business has too much influence in U.S. elections, and personalities become more important than policy.
Another Deutsche Welle article thought it “surreal” the way U.S. elections can be swayed by emotional outbursts—á la Hillary Clinton’s tearing-up in New Hampshire.
Americans will be happier to hear the opinion of British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, which writes that the States treat their democratic process with respect and seriousness—whatever its flaws.
A staff writer for the Beirut Daily Star said that the U.S. electoral system is a model for democracy, as evidenced by the primaries.
Columnists from several British papers went even further by suggesting that Britain needs to adopt the primary system, which would subject U.K. candidates to the rigorous scrutiny their American counterparts endure.
The Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the participation of Barack Obama in the race proves America’s “inexhaustible capacity for regeneration, innovation and transformation.” That sentiment was echoed by a British columnist from The Guardian who says that American politics is invigorated by outsiders with fresh ideas. By comparison, Britain’s professional political class rarely has anything new to offer.
German magazine Der Spiegel differed in its take on Obama, writing that it is naïve to think that affable outsiders always stimulate democracy. George W. Bush was a Washington outsider, according to Der Spiegel, and he “played the nice guy too. And look what happened.”
In a similarly critical vein, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle argued that the U.S. electoral process is unnecessarily drawn out and expensive. Big business has too much influence in U.S. elections, and personalities become more important than policy.
Another Deutsche Welle article thought it “surreal” the way U.S. elections can be swayed by emotional outbursts—á la Hillary Clinton’s tearing-up in New Hampshire.
Americans will be happier to hear the opinion of British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, which writes that the States treat their democratic process with respect and seriousness—whatever its flaws.
Headline Links: Europe watches intently
Europeans are showing an intense interest in the U.S. presidential primaries. According to the Croatian online publication Javno, their interest stems from widespread disillusionment with the Bush administration, and the presence of a woman and a black man in the race. "It's not just a race with a bunch of white men with white hair this time," a Berlin office worker told Javno. Christian Hacke, a political science professor at the University of Bonn in Germany, said, "Bush polarized Europe and a lot of people associate this election with the hope that a horrible period of U.S.-European relations will finally end.”
Source: Javno
Background: Europeans eager for new faces in the White House
A survey conducted in six major European countries and the United States found that if Europeans had a say in the U.S. presidential elections, Hillary Clinton would become president, Barack Obama would come in second, and Rudolph Giuliani would take third. The International Herald Tribune reports that the poll also found that European respondents know almost nothing about the other candidates, and the majority of respondents from all countries consider the United States a threat to world peace.
Source: International Herald Tribune
Obama’s popularity is on the rise in Germany, according to the International Herald Tribune. Germans see a similarity between Obama and John F. Kennedy, with several newspapers running titles such as “The New Kennedy” and “Lincoln, Kennedy, Obama.” An editorial in the Frankfurter Rundschau said that he represents “hope and optimism,” which are "the source of the nation’s strength."
Source: International Herald Tribune
Opinion & Analysis: U.S. politics unpredictable and polarizing
The candidates
German magazine Der Spiegel writes of the New Hampshire primary results , “What could be more natural than to wish for the opposite of the present: Soft instead of aggressive, compassionate instead of cynical, young instead of old. Hope rather than the fear that someone like Bush seems to spread with glee." Despite Obama's loss, the magazine writes that he "touches the souls of his listeners. Hillary Clinton only gets as far as their heads. Obama versus Clinton—for many observers, that's like choosing between a love affair and a shotgun wedding."
Source: Der Spiegel
Another Der Spiegel article takes the opposite view: Barack Obama is the last thing Americans need. The article quotes the left-of-center Süddeutsche Zeitung, which wrote that Obama is “intangible, elastic, hollow.” Obama is a political outsider, just like George W. Bush was eight years ago, and the last thing the United States needs is someone who offers “vague pledges of change.” The conservative Die Welt is quoted, too, on the subject of Obama: “George W. Bush played the nice guy too. And look what happened." Obama lacks the cool-headed pragmatism of Hillary Clinton, according to Die Welt. The daily Tagesspiegel wrote that the country needs someone like Clinton. “She represents competence,” Tagesspiegel wrote.
Source: Der Spiegel
The U.S. democratic model is fraught with problems
Quoting European experts, a Deutsche Welle article writes that the U.S. electoral process is “unnecessarily drawn out, expensive and outdated.” Big business has too much influence on the elections and so do the personalities of the candidates. As a result, more pressing issues become sidelined.
Source: Deutsche Welle
Another Deutsche Welle article calls the American electoral process “surreal,” because all too often political candidates try to appeal to voters’ emotions rather than to reason. The article quotes past examples of emotional outbursts by politicians—Richard Nixon’s “Checkers” tear-jerker in 1952 and Bill Clinton’s “Man from Hope” ad campaign. The latter helped elect Clinton, Deutsche Welle writes, while the former arguably saved Nixon’s political career. The latest outburst from Clinton wife cements the impression that a candidate in the United States can gain political leverage by saying, "If you don't vote for me, I'm gonna cry," Deutsche Welle concluded.
Source: Deutsche Welle
A democracy to learn from
A columnist from the Beirut-based The Daily Star writes that although the Bush administration’s foreign policy provokes hatred worldwide, the United States has a vibrant democracy, as demonstrated by the U.S. primaries. The electoral process shows that that in American democracy authority is vested in the people. It is unfortunate, therefore, that Bush should throw his weight behind undemocratic Arab regimes, the columnist writes.
Source: The Daily Star
The United Kingdom should consider adopting the U.S. primary system, because it ensures a greater democratic mandate for politicians. Britons would benefit from such a system, as British restrictions on funding would ensure that the problems the U.S, system experiences are not replicated as well.
Source: The Scotsman
A Sydney Morning Herald writer says that although Barack Obama’s chances would be slim if pitted against McCain, Obama’s very participation in the race shows that the American political system is as vibrant and innovative as ever.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
A blogger on the British Telegraph’s Web site writes wistfully that he wishes Britain had primaries. Then, he writes, politicians would be really tested for what they are worth. The systems in continental Europe are even worse, the blog continues. Some members of parliament have almost life-time job security without doing anything to deserve it. The U.S. primary system allows for greater scrutiny of candidates, which few European political hopefuls could handle.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
Another article in the Telegraph comments on the way the British press covers elections—at home or abroad. It says that the British press makes the democratic process seem like a lowly affair; the Americans glorify their democracy. British coverage of the U.S. primaries is “world-weary” and condescending, while the U.S. press treats the process with respect. Interest in the American electoral process has increased in Britain, which to this commentator is a sign of a new openness on the isles.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
The 2008 U.S. presidential race is optimistic, unpredictable and open, qualities that British politics lacks, according to an article in British newspaper The Guardian. The U.S. democratic process allows for outsiders with fresh ideas to enter politics, whereas the British political class is dominated by full-time politicians with nothing new to offer. This makes politics in Britain very “bland,” according to the Guardian article.
Source: The Guardian
The excitement surrounding the caucus in Iowa is good for American democracy because it encourages people to participate, an article from the French Rue89 writes. U.S. democracy suffers because fewer and fewer people are interested in national politics. Televised debates by presidential hopefuls were followed by less than one percent of Americans. The article quotes a survey by the Pew Research Center, which found that one out of four Americans were unaware before the beginning of the caucuses that Hillary Clinton was running or that Rudy Giuliani was seeking the Republican nomination.
Source: Rue 89 via Watching America
Reference Material: The candidates, the platforms, the electoral process
findingDulcinea carries a complete guide to the 2008 U.S. presidential race. The guide includes information on who is running, what they stand for, how the electoral process works, where to get news coverage of the race and more.
Source: findingDulcinea
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