International Perception of McCain
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Author Topic: International Perception of McCain  (Read 668 times)
Antarctic
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« on: October 22, 2008, 03:49:09 PM »

I have no idea where to post this but here goes.

I'm at work this morning in distant New Zealand and our radio is tuned to a classic hits type station.
The news bulletin says that some Canadian oil company thinks that they may have discovered a giant oil field on the East Coast of the North Island.They're talking about 16 billion barrels.We've heard these sorts of stories many times before so the reaction is ho-hum.

What was surprising was the DJ's comment (remember this is not a talk station).

He said that "if the oil is there we'd better hope Obama wins the American election.If McCain wins  some previously undiscovered WMDs might surface".My unpolitical workmates laughed and agreed.

This is from such an unlikely source that I found it very interesting.It's nothing more than anecdotal but I suspect that's a common reaction here.McCain is inextricably linked to Bush in many people's eyes.

Do other international posters have similar experiences?

Is that a common view in the US?
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angus
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« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2008, 04:23:07 PM »

Yes, it is a common view in the US that McCain is to Bush the Younger as Bush the Elder was to Reagan.  Sure, they're different in some superficial ways, but not so by broadstrokes.  In fact, on the overriding issue of the past several years, US military involvement in Iraq, McCain is probably Bushier than Bush.  It was well known, for example, in 2000 that McCain was a power projectionist.  Bush, on the other hand, promised a "humble" foreign policy and an end to "nation building."  Those were the exact phrases he used.  Bush defeated McCain.  Turns out that Bush's foreign policy wasn't so humble after all, and we're in the process of building at least two nations. 

So, at least with respect to those issues that foreigners might be most interested in--international policy, war & peace, relations with the United Nations--it is reasonable to see McCain as largely in line with Cheney, Bush, and the rest of the current white house.
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Јas
Jas
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« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2008, 04:32:59 PM »

There's a great deal of negativity towards the Republican Party generally here which inevitably affects McCain by association (Republicans being perceived as very right wing folk - religious fanatics or 'rednecks' or gun nuts or somesuch).

The general feeling here is that the only reason why Obama might not be elected is racism. Indeed, despite the wide coverage that Obama seems set for victory, many expect him to lose due to racism which is being hidden by the Bradley Effect.
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Franzl
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« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2008, 04:34:58 PM »

The general feeling here is that the only reason why Obama might not be elected is racism. Indeed, despite the wide coverage that Obama seems set for victory, many expect him to lose due to the Bradley Effect.

That's my impression of how Germans think, as well.

I even read an article here saying the election is a "test of how racist America really is". I find it absolutely disgusting (and yes, Opebo, I know you agree with them.) But yeah...
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