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Obama or McCain: Intrigue Reaches Peak: TrendNews Commentator(video)

Politics Materials 4 November 2008 18:04 (UTC +04:00)

Victoria Zhavoronkova, commentator of Trend European Desk

Pre-term voting for the election of the new President has already begun in the United States. According to some data, already nearly fourth of all Americans have voted. The peak of voting will take place on official Election Day - 4 November. One of the distinguishing features of the American elections is that still it is unknown who will become the next President of America

These elections differ from previous. There are too much unusual and contradictory: the fight of "bright" and "dark", youth and life experience, peace and war, traditions and innovations. For the first time in the history of America the Presidential candidate - African American has real chance to win. Moreover, he leads according to the data of the preliminary voting: according to different surveys on 1 November Barack Obama passed ahead of John McCain averagely by 2-13 percent of electorate. But still it is very unsteady and still can change although the experts consider that miracle must occur for the defeat of Obama in the elections.

What do the Presidential candidates of the USA present with themselves today? Candidate from the Republican Party John McCain is an experienced politician. If he wins the elections, at the moment of inauguration, he will complete 72 years of age that not very well for the Head of State. He is the veteran of the Vietnam War, not desiring the withdrawal of U.S forces from Iraq until final victory.

McCain selected the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin - person who does not have special authority as a politician - assistant for himself, exactly for the post of Vice President. The former "Miss of Alaska" has so small political experience. Moreover, potential miss Vice President of the United States made so many inadvertences in the interview during the pre-election campaign: she declared the victory of America over Iraq, through which justified the need of an increase in the number of troops in Afghanistan, and she told about the direct vicinity of her native State of Alaska to Russia.

In addition, her inexperience frightens that Palin will be forced to replace McCain in case of his incapacity as the President to govern state. It is unknown whether Palin will be able to manage so difficult tasks. As minuses of McCain, the experts also highlight the similarity of his political views with the policy of the present unpopular Republican President George Bush. Many observers connect the present difficult situation of America precisely with the years of his presidency. The heavy load of the financial crisis and two wars - in Iraq and Afghanistan - will lie on the shoulder of the new Head of State.

The pre-election campaign of the second U.S. Presidential candidate was built more correctly and deliberately than his rival. His basic motto is the word of "change". He is young, sensible although he has limited political experience. Many experts consider this one of the largest deficiencies of the Democrat candidate. Obama selected for himself more successful candidate for the post of Vice President than McCain's. The candidate for this responsible post from the Democrats is experienced politician Joseph Biden.

Assistants of Obama have been very correctly selected, so to speak, in all cases of life. For example, Biden is strong in the foreign policy, while Obama himself has little experience in this sphere. Everything is good, but here is his color of skin. Many experts consider that if Obama loses during the present distribution of the pre-election campaigns of the U.S. Presidential candidates, the fault for this will be only the fact that he is African American.

In America there is such an understanding as Bradley effect. It appears in the rivalry of the two candidates, one of whom is dark-skinned. Substantial part of the voters hides their position, voting for the dark-skinned candidate during surveys, fearing direct accusations of racism. However, in the polling booth white voters will vote for the white candidate. In the history of the United States already there have been the precedents of the influence of Bradley effect. So the issue how it will appear itself this time will be clear only after announcement of the election results.

The world must wait for the choice of the Americans. Probably, almost no one will be surprised if McCain will become the President, since the elections in the USA already demonstrated surprises. But maybe a new page will be opened in the history of America when its President will become black-skinned.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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