by Damozel |As I noted earlier, and as this CNN article assures me is still true,
this certainly seemed to be true in England when I was visiting back in
May. The people I spoke to could not believe that Obama was my third
choice and a long way behind Edwards and Hillary. They also flat-out
did not believe me when I whispered my concern that he holds views at
odds with mine.
Why do they love Barack so?
To his European fans, Obama is the symbol of American renewal. They know three things about him. That he is young. That he is African-American. And that he has a Muslim name.
Europeans live in countries with large, unassimilated Muslim minorities. The idea that someone with Obama's name and background could become President of the United States astonishes and impresses them. Europeans are thrilled by the idea that the United States can suddenly transform itself from a pariah in the world into an inspiration to the world. (CNN)
Of course, there is still the inevitable question:
Or can it? Everywhere I went, Europeans asked me if a black man can really be elected President of the United States. I told them many Americans ask me the same question (CNN).
To me, this question has already been answered: 'Yes, he can.' Whether he will be is not, of course, solely or according to me, primarily, to do with his race. The opposition that some Democrats feel toward him has other sources.
I know that there are those who will pretend to believe otherwise, but I know those people, and this blog has very carefully tracked the reasons why there are some Dems who will give their support grudgingly if at all. These reasons have nothing to do with race. If anything, the Obama-resisters I have spoken to consider the symbolic value that would attach to his election to be in his favor. They want Europe to love and admire the US again as much as the next Dem.
I wonder if Europose's bedazzlment will last. Yesterday, the Times of London accused him of 'pivoting' and listed the ways in which Obama has deviated from what I suppose were his expected positions. I suspect that some of these people are in for a rude awakening. Bill Schneider reports:
The educated, well-informed Europeans I met were not entirely sure what Obama stood for. "Is he a socialist?'' they asked. "I don't think he would accept that label,'' I told them.
They worried a little bit about Obama's views on trade. "Is he a protectionist?'' they wondered. "He calls himself a free trader,'' I said, "just like John McCain, although he has been more critical of trade agreements like NAFTA.'' (CNN)
Certainly Britons will have to come to terms with views he holds that no English person I've ever met, of any age, and whether conservative or liberals, will easily understand: his support for, not only the death penalty, but for its extension in child rape cases; and his support for the SCOTUS decision on the DC handgun ban. (Yes, I know that there are Brits who think otherwise, but I haven't met any, and I've no wish to.)
Via William Kern at The Moderate Voice --- who has asked, 'Is Obama's honeymoon with Europe already over?--- this editorial in Le Monde shows that the French are growing skeptical. Likewise (also via Kern), the German Der Taggespiel expresses disenchantment.
“In the end, a disappointment is a deceit. So it’s for the best that we cast a serous German glance in the direction of the American Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama. He has called for the death penalty for child rapists, defends the right to possess firearms and is the first candidate since the Watergate scandal to reject public financing of his election campaign in favor of private, unlimited contributions. ‘Hey,’ some on this side of the Atlantic now ask, ‘we thought he was one of us?’ Far from it.”...
“The facade of the wise, eloquent and charming golden boy has begun to crumble. There is a second - other Obama. And he’s about to be discovered: unscrupulous, selfish, and overambitious.’
And now, as noted, The Times of London.
I find it rather saddening. Does this mean we lose our chance to
impress and inspire the Europeans by a show of one way that we are
ahead of them? It took me 25 minutes in the voting booth to decide to
circle Hillary's name --- and I intend to vote for him now. I don't
mind that he can't sustain the idolatry; I don't trust idols. They
always turn out, like the rest of us poor mortals, to have feet of
clay.
More blogger discussion at Memeorandum.
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Le Monde, as usual, seems a little hysterical.
If the Europeans, and especially the French, expect to see an American elected president who shares all of their opinions they are bound to be disappointed. That is not going to happen. Is that a deceit? I don't think so.
Maybe they hope the Democrats, as usual, will go down "clinging" to anti-death penalty and pro-gun control views. Do they want another suicide by the Democrats based on a couple of their principles? I'd rather win this time.
Perhaps they should step back a bit a take a look at the bigger picture. And perhaps they should also do something about their own problem of a huge, angry unassimilated Muslim minority. For all their alleged enlightenment, they remind me of the United State in 1955, except with a welfare state.
Posted by: Pug | July 05, 2008 at 09:30 AM
If you want the opinions of the Europe of the future, don't ask Frenchmen or Britons. As the new Muslim power brokers. The future of Europe does not lie with the mewling herd that are referred to as Euros.
Posted by: Al Fin | July 05, 2008 at 12:47 PM