The FINANCIAL — If the pre-election polling is to be believed, then 47 year old Barack Obama, the African American Senator from Illinois, may soon be the President of the United States, Austraian Radio reports.
Reports by international media show more support in Europe and Russia for Barack Obama.
Wiener Zeitung, news magazine based in Austria spoke with US expats living in Austria about their views of the campaign and the can- didates. They were asked about their hopes – and possible fears – if Barack Obama or John McCain is elected today.
The situation ahead of the eagerly-awaited deci- sion on the face of it could hardly be more clear, newsmagazi says.
"On one side, there is 47-year-old Senator Barack Obama, who has had the opportunity to spend more money on his campaign than any other candidate in history.
Vietnam veteran John McCain, the Republican candidate, faces concerns about the state of his health as well as his policies as he struggles to disassociate himself from fellow Repub- lican George W. Bush, who is most likely to go down in history as the country’s least-popular president".
According to Wiener Zeitung Obama may seem like a shoe-in but polling voter sentiment accurately has been hard with few people admitting they intend to vote for McCain, a problem familiar in Austria where few people admit to pollsters, even in anony- mous telephone surveys, that they intend to vote for either the BZÖ or FPÖ.
"Democrat and Obama sympathisers will get to- gether tonight at Vienna’s Lion Rampant pub (Billroth- straße 16), while there is no public Republican get-to- gether planned".
"One of those who will attend the Obama party is James H. Glenn, a retired US Foreign Service Officer. The 65-year-old resident of Texas voted for Obama and expects him to win as "the McCain campaign appears to be in chaos.”
If Europeans had a vote, Barack Obama would beat John McCain by large margin, RENATA GOLDIROVA, Euobserver based in Belgium reports. "He enjoys greater popularity due to the fact that he represents a more evident contrast to the politics of the outgoing president, Republican George W. Bush".
"Mr Bush's eight-year-long term has been marked by a unilateral decision to invade Iraq – something that his reputation has never recovered from, even though he later reached out to consult Europe on issues such as Iran".
"Barack Obama has shown more willingness to judge countries on an individual basis, not strictly within a war on terror framework, Mr Valasek told the EUobserver, citing views on Iran and Russia as significantly different to those of Mr McCain".
"The Republican presidential candidate refuses to engage in talks with Tehran over its nuclear programme and he also adopted a more critical stance on Russia's military action against Georgia in August".
"McCain's views on Russia are more in line with a Polish and Czech foreign policy approach, while Obama would gain sympathy in Germany, France and Italy, Mr Valasek said".
In a significant move, Senator John McCain's Presidential campaign reached out to Polish Americans in an October 31 conference call with a select group of Polish American activists. McCain's National Coalition Coordinator Aaron Manaigo represented the campaign. The leaders represented the Polish American community in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, New York and Maryland.
Responding to questions from the Polish American leaders, Manaigo reiterated McCain's support for strengthened relations with Poland and for Poland's participation in the Missile Defense Program. He also noted a recent letter from McCain that declared the Senator's support for Poland's role as a U.S. strategic partner and a fellow NATO member and praised the country for its support for Georgia's freedom in the face of Russian aggression.
Manaigo referred to McCain's strong support for Poland's entrance into the Visa Waiver Program, which would allow Poles to travel for short visits to the U.S. without visas. In an October 29 letter to Frank Spula, President of the Polish American Congress, McCain stated that "requiring visas from Poles seeking to travel here is inconsistent with our current relationship, not to mention the deeper and broader relationship we must work together to foster. I support the inclusion of Poland in the visa waiver program and will make it a top priority of my administration to make it happen."
Is Obama or McCain Better for Russia?
If Barack Obama is elected U.S. president on Tuesday, he will join President Dmitry Medvedev in becoming the first post-baby boom leader of his country, Moscow Times reports. "Both men were born in the 1960s — well after the tumultuous post- World War II decade, when the United States and Soviet Union were preoccupied with nuclear arms races and a deep divide in Europe".
Rose Gottemoeller who served in President Bill Clinton's administration as director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia at the National Security Council says that Obama and Medvedev have the potential to start a truly modern phase in the U.S.-Russian relationship, finally leaving the Cold War behind. This will not be easy, as the summer's tragic conflict in Georgia showed. In the aftermath of the fighting, voices could be heard in Washington, claiming that Russia is an untrustworthy, violent adversary and needs to be contained.
According to New York Times, last week thousands of Russians from the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi gathered in front of the United States Embassy here on Sunday night carrying jack-o’-lanterns inked with the names of war victims and charging that the war in Georgia was part of an American plot to improve Senator John McCain’s electoral prospects.
"Vote for Obama", activists were calling.
Why McCain wins in Israel?
Last week, Biden "guaranteed" that an Obama Administration would be tested by an international crisis within its first six months. As a long-time member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he might actually know what he's talking about. Can this possibly be good for Israel? Marc Zell, an attorney practicing international law in Jerusalem rising question in Jerusalem Post article.
"We cannot support a political neophyte for President, or his loose-cannon VP, or his collection of foreign policy aides whose Israel-related views range from naïve to hostile. We cast our vote for experience and common sense – Senator John McCain".
McCain Wins Fans in India
India has thrived under Bush's pro-outsourcing policies, and many Indians hope for further prosperity with McCain, Business Week says.
John Zogby, head of Zogby International, which polls with Reuters and C-SPAN, said: "Anything can happen in the next 36 hours, and there may be some volatility. Is it likely to happen? No. Frankly I feel good about it."
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