Today’s Presidential Election in the US has caught every admirer of that country and indeed students of contemporary global politics in utter dilemma. The world is watching with bated breath and curious appetite who will emerge victorious in this historic polls. Even though there are other contestants, the question on the lips of may is will it be Senator Barack Obama or Senator John McCain. Even though pundits put Mr. Obama slightly ahead, it could be anybody’s game with the results too close to call.
The election held every four years is the 56th in the annals of America and will elect the 44th President and Vice President for that country. Interest and stakes are high in the poll perhaps for a number of reasons.
It is the first time two sitting Senators are running against each other on the ticket of the two major parties for the White House.
Therefore, it appears virtually certain the election will mark the first time since John F. Kennedy in 1960 that a sitting Senator will be elected President. It also marks the first time since 1928 in which neither the incumbent President nor Vice President run for their party’s nomination in the Presidential election. Also for the first time since 1952 neither the incumbent President nor sitting Vice President is a candidate.
The incumbent President George Walker Bush is serving his second and final term and is barred constitutionally from contesting again. What makes the election more interesting and for that matter has caught the fancy of most Africans and especially people of the black race is the fact that this is the first time an African-America is a Presidential Candidate for a major party and has largely been tipped to enter the White House.
Being the son of a Kenyan man most Africans and indeed Ghanaians believe Obama will serve their interest better. Moreover he has very solid credentials among the African-American community likewise deep concerns for the underprivileged. Also significant is the fact that both Obama and McCain were born outside the continental US. Obama was born in Hawaii whilst McCain comes from the Panama Canal Zone.
History will again be made since the Republican candidate for Vice President is a woman.
So the eventual winning ticket is very likely to be for the records as neither an African-American nor a female has achieved either office. It is rather unfortunate the American economy has taken a nose-dire under the tenure of President Bush and this likely to affect the fortunes of John McCain.
Others include the war in Iraq, the environment, immigration, education and health care reforms.
Whatever it is, we as Africans have rested interest in the election and the consideration will go to which of the two front runners will give the continent a priority in US foreign policy. It is no secret that President Bush in his tenure tripled aid to Africa.
For us in Ghana we are benefiting immensely from the Millennium Challenge Account and the African Growth and Opportunities Act, AGOA both initiatives of the Bush regime.
The sustenance of these programmes is inevitably largely dependent on which of the candidates has the prowess and pragmatism to prop up the American economy for it to trickle down.
It is the hope of all that the candidate with the right vision, temperament and candour will be given the mandate to run the affairs of the only world super power for the next four years with its motto “In God We Trust”. Americans need not fail and will not fail. Long Live America, Long Live Democracy.
