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By Diana Kulchitskaya
The November 4th, 2008 seems to be a crucial day in American and global politics. First of all it puts an end to the long and intense run-up to the US elections. The candidates can finally breathe out and see who the lucky one is. However, the date also marks the beginning of a Post-Bush era. This time the arrival of a new leader to the White House is considered to be not just a regular power shift. It means much more. For everyday Americans that’s a hope for better life and economic security. For the rest of the world, it is an expectation of major change in foreign policy.
US campaign 2008 would remain in history as one of America’s longest and most unpredictable races. For the first time in many years the ruling party did not propose the Vice President as a candidate. Two women politicians and the oldest presidential candidate ever were involved in the campaign. This made some analysts say that the current elections revealed the changing face of American politics. However, the most amazing phenomenon of the 2008 campaign is Barack Obama.
A year ago the senator from Illinois was an unknown political figure. Specialists had serious doubts whether he can compete with his more experienced rival Hillary Clinton. Despite all odds were against him, he managed to move to the top of the list and to win the battle with the former First Lady. From an outsider he turned to a front runner. The last few weeks before the elections McCain and Obama were running neck and neck.
Some say that this breakthrough was possible because Obama’s team realized the great demand for change in Washington. The eight years of Republican rule caused both foreign and domestic policy problems. The need for a new start was the main issue in his campaign. Obama tried to become the symbol of new America. His election speeches were based on two key ideas: ‘hope’ and ‘change’. This was very appealing to everyday people, who seemed to be fed up with Bush’s aggressive policy.
The 2008 elections showed another interesting figure. John McCain, a Vietnam War veteran, stepped on the political scene with as much as courage as Obama. The senator of Arizona tried to restore the reputation of the Republican Party. He wanted to show the electorate he is not Bush’s puppet and has his own political standpoint. However, his harsh statements on Russia and other foreign policy issues made some people shrink back from him.
Leaders from across the globe were all interested in the outcome of the US elections. The world media were filled with reports and summaries on the campaigning. Russia was not an exception. The elections received an intensive coverage in newspapers, TV and radio. Months before Election Day the TV channels gave a general view of the run-up period, keeping an eye on the main trends. However, after the primaries, when the two potential candidates for president were nominated, the media coverage was focused mainly on their future foreign policy.
At first, most of the official channels promoted the idea that McCain’s victory would be a beginning of a new cold war. However, weeks before the 4th of November they changed perspective, saying no matter who wins, the relations between Russia and the United States will still remain strained.
At the very end of the campaign some Russian analysts expressed a strong belief in Obama’s triumph. However, others were not so sure about the outcome of the presidential trial. “It’s hard to say who would win this race. Both McCain and Obama have the chance to enter the White House. Everything depends on the floating voters, those who will make their final decision on Election Day”, said Valery Garbuzov, Deputy Director in the Institute for the USA and Canadian studies days ahead of the polls.
The political analyst claimed that McCain was still a potential threat for the Illinois senator, as choosing Sarah Palin for a Vice President boosted his ratings. The Alaska governor was a new figure in politics and appealed to low income families and women.
Besides, Prof. Garbuzov pointed out that it was wrong to jump to conclusions on the candidates’ foreign policy and their attitude to Russia. “Both of them will be ‘victims’ of the Bush policy. That’s why we should not expect a momentary change in the diplomatic course," concluded the expert.
While analysts were puzzling over the question who would be the next politician to step in the Oval Office, ordinary Russian people showed different levels of interest in the US elections. A survey conducted by the Levada-center showed that over two-thirds of Russians did not follow the campaign. The most ignorant were youths aged 18-24. The majority of them did not watch the news from across the ocean at all. People aged 40-55, on the contrary, were the most active. They showed the highest interest levels.