A global concern- who wins the Whitehouse?
AFTER the suspense of primaries it is waiting time for the gala party conventions in late August and early September to formally start one on one race for the Whitehouse. Looking for a running mate is the major concern of the summer. The election strategist, rumourmongers, fate gurus, lobbyists, even Mafias are meanwhile jockeying for advantage. When Obama is double digit ahead of MacCain, his VP is so focused these days, as if Republicans are not going have one really. New Hampshire 'unite for change' call from Hillary and Obama sharing the same podium is good start for the Democrats. November is too far and it is too early to deduce how much healing is possible between Hillary and Obama camps. Americans love drama, no wonder Hollywood was born there. With hard work during the day they need entertainment in the evening. The Presidential election is the biggest of the shows; many top guns of Hollywood disengage to get a bigger kick during election hype. Some breach the professional line never to go back. Ronald Regan - one such renegade of Hollywood, took the Whitehouse by storm and held it with his tantalizing smile for eight long years. You do not see another smile of his kind while delivering menacing words. He was so flawlessly natural in saying 'satanic Empire' while holding a spreading smile on his face - a true communicator. He was fighting wars without bullets that humbled many American adversaries and destroyed the Soviet Union. The politicians should all go to Hollywood to learn the steel and smile of his kind. Alas, Rambo-Governor Arnold Schwarznegger of California was born in Austria. Americans do not like outsiders to be their commander-in-chief. Public opinion moves friskily during election time, loves exaggeration for needs and entertainment. The curtain finally draws on the Election Day to ask the people to go back to work- entertained and assured. Election is the heightened drama of promises and assurances; but offers nothing without hard work. Fertile lands, seeds, fine weather- nothing is produced without hard work of the farmers. It is absurd to expect something without work and dangerous too. Where work ethic is fine and societies are advanced, election is a ripple in a teacup. In Singapore hardly anybody cares, in America it is a melodrama, where everybody gets entertained but few vote. But in Bangladesh it is a raging war. The poorer the society more is the expectation from an election. Without necessary checks and balances the hard work formula does not work in backward societies. Forerunner Senator Clinton was destroyed along the way but bagged 18 million votes - not enough for the nomination but good enough to break the heart of the millions. It was a close fight and split decision. The immediate concern is to heal the wound within the Democratic camps before the final showdown. America is a radical society that jumpstart on an opportunity, but doubt still persists about Obama. Hillary has gracefully accepted the fact, endorsed Obama and is campaigning for him. President Clinton has also promised to work for the party nominee. There are many cycles of high and low tide still to come before the climax on November 4. For a variety of reasons the divide between Obama and Hillary camps are too deep to heal without oozing, if it does, before the election. The lifelong dream of Senator Clinton has been shattered; VP is not a big deal for her but it could be much sought after healing for the democrats in a 'dream ticket' that Bill Clinton once proposed - but in reverse order. The Democrats have a very high stake in this election, and merely sharing the platform may not be enough indications that Hillary and Obama are reconciled. Races for many governors, one third of the senate, and the whole of House of Representatives are at stake along with the president and the VP. Americans normally honour the presidential choice by voting for his party in other races. People do not vote for VP but a popular choice can add millions for the presidential hopeful. And that makes the choice of the VP so important for Senator Obama. Hillary was the overwhelming choice of women, elderly and the Hispanics during the primaries and caucuses. Brilliant persons are available to fill the slot. But there is no one better than Hillary who can heal the party and add votes to Obama. It will be too risky for the Democrats to ignore the vote banks. The Clintons will remain heavyweight of American politics and have wide international connections. The cleverest thing Obama can do is to keep the Clintons in humour and leave indications that the ticket for VP is waiting for Hillary. McCain will have difficulty walking out of the shadows of the unpopular administration. Known to be somewhat a slow thinker, temperamental and fiercely independent, many conservatives are not comfortable with his liberal voting records. At 71, some are concerned about his health. He needs a booster running mate. He worked on Memorial Day weekend in Arizona with Governor Charlie of Florida, former governor of Massachusetts and competitor Mitt Romney, Senator Brownback, and half his age Bob Jindal, Governor of Louisiana and talked about the probable. War hero (Vietnam) and senate experience are his strongest credentials; but the unflinching support for Iraq war is hurting his case. Some say that his best bet would be Joe Lieberman because of his ethnic background, once paired with Al Gore, now a crossover independent. McCain is professed to be only one time president. Hillary was a young Republican in her college days. Many not ready to reconcile with Obama in both the parties suggest Hillary could be baited as running mate of McCain with an understanding that she is given chance to run in 2012. A presidential candidate or VP must have popular appeal more than party loyalty. Much of the day-to-day concern of the people is with the states and county/city governments in the USA. These governments are fiercely independent and deeply engaged with the people. Only America could afford to get a daughter of callously powerful President Bush arrested on minor violation of law. It did not happen again because the policemen on the street are not afraid of the president but the saplings are afraid of law because dad is the president. I would not give that entirely to America - that is democracy in practice. The primary concern of the president is foreign policy, defence and security management. The American President is obviously a global concern. Somebody suggested, at least 10% of the global population should be able to vote for the US President. Manmade or natural calamities, democracy and human rights, market or climate, all global concerns are hinged with America. It is possible to love or hate America but impossible to ignore. The world has increasingly higher stake in the American election. Most of the international decisions are on the razor's edge. The personality and feelings of the president matter a lot. If President Bush was not hurt by 9/11, frustration to get bin Laden - alive or dead, many feel that he might not have gone for the invasion of Iraq. Eight years after the hunt and wars, the world is more turbulent today. Unfortunately, nobody but the Muslims are identified with their religion. It is too late now; the billion plus Muslims and the emerging new US administration must have a strategy to walk out of the mess. The world has suffered a lot; in the process thousands of Americans lost their lives, and spent trillions of dollars in war effort that staggered the largest economy into recession. My banker son tells me, Canadians were happy to see their dollar overpower the greenback; now they are worrying that their exports to the USA is hurting. With gifts of nature in abundance Canadians are one of the richest and happiest people on earth. If they need America, how much can Bangladesh really pretend?
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