Europe votes Obama. U.S.patriots should be proud

It might not be a good omen, but once again Europe leans towards the « liberal » candidate in the presidential elections. It happened in the early 80s when Ronald Reagan scared progressive and middle-of- the road Europeans with his rugged approach to international relations. It happened in 2000 and 2004 when most Europeans chose Al Gore and then John Kerry over George Bush.

Is it the sign of the growing estrangement between “the people that come from Mars” and those that “come from Venus”, as neoconservative pundit Robert Kagan might have us believe?

Would it mean that Obama is not “too American” and therefore much more acceptable and attractive to a European audience that tends to associate the U.S. with the Iraqi war, Guantanamo and stubborn opposition to the Kyoto protocol or the anti-cluster bomb Treaty? Would that mean, as a corollary, that Obama is not seen as “American enough” in the eyes of many U.S. citizens?

In fact Barack Obama, much more than Al Gore at the time of his run for the presidency (now he is sanctified by his eco-crusade) or John Kerry, represents the American dream and therefore inspires as much in the U.S. as outside of its borders. He has been able to mobilize millions of new voters and especially the younger generation that aspires for change, participation and decency after 7 years of conservatism, illiberalism and adventurist foreign policy.

Internationally, though, the figures are clear. According to an Ipsos/ Al Jazeera survey (of 22,605 respondents) realized in May before Hillary Clinton’s withdrawal (http://english.aljazeera.net/News/aspx/print.htm), 82% of "global citizens" are “aware” of Barack Obama (62% for McCain). And of those aware of the three candidates, 55% would like most to see Obama as the next President of the United States. The support for the Illinois Senator is particularly strong in France (66%), Germany (59%), The Netherlands and Belgium (57%). In comparison John McCain is preferred by 14% of global citizens, with just 5% in Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

The U.S. primary season has been followed with passion in most of the world, the best indicator of the expectations that the U.S. still raises around the world. Germany is the country that follows the U.S. election most closely (33%), more intensely even than the U.S. respondents (33%). These months of campaigning have been more powerful in raising the profile of the U.S. abroad than all the Bush administration's public diplomacy initiatives.

This is the most positive result of the Democratic primaries: as Kevin Sullivan writes in the Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/04) “Democratic Primary Boosts U.S. Image Around the World”.
“Obama is the exciting image of what we always hoped America was”, says Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House, the Establishment think tank in London.

Crushing anto-Americanism? That should be an argument for U.S. voters to choose Obama…