From Scratch

By all accounts, Europe is extraordinarily interested in this year’s presidential race and primaries; coverage has been extensive and in-depth. I wondered how it all seems to my fellow blogger, roadsofstone, who is an incisive thinker and a terrific writer. I am pleased beyond words that he’s agreed to be my first guest blogger, especially as he lives in the land of our closest ally. I hope you enjoy his insights as much as I do. He will also reply to comments, unless addressed to me. 

Looking at it from London, the US electoral process has always puzzled me, just a little.

Voting for who you’d like to vote for, long before a big convention which decides who you can really vote for.

How does that work, then? And later on, you turn away some voters, and throw loads more votes away. And now and again, the candidate’s brother decides who wins.

But hey, nobody’s perfect. Even Kenya.

And especially not us, since our electoral system is bonkers, too. Any country where the government is opened by a man banging a door with a stick has a serious case to answer, in my opinion. The Queen reads out her policies each November, but everyone knows they’re really written by the Prime Minister (or his press agent). Eccentric is too flattering a word.

But for all our eccentricities, we don’t have anything like your primaries process. This battle spread out out over exhausting weeks and months. This contest where the early results can influence the later ones – how they’re even (apparently?) intended to.

It’s fascinating to realise that New Hampshire and Iowa might decide right now, in January, just who’ll be on the ballot paper in November. A bit like Stockport County and Leyton Orient contesting the FA Cup Final on the first day of the season to choose if Manchester United or Chelsea will win the trophy at Wembley nine months later.

It makes compelling viewing. Watching the candidates invest more than the Gross Domestic Product of Ghana into those frozen midwest fields and New England snows, where a few lucky (if distinctly chilly) voters can decide the fate of the entire western world.

But we love it. Super Tuesday, Fluffy Friday, Magic Monday? Yes, we’ll watch your elections, any day of the week. Because they’re important.

And that’s not a joke – because, you see, despite our bafflement, your elections really do matter to us, even if we might not fully understand them.

From here, it seemed for months (years, even) that this election was always Hillary’s. The thing is, we’ve a soft spot for Bill. He travelled well. He studied in England. Even if he didn’t inhale when he was here. He played the sax, now and then. He never said ‘nucular’. He didn’t invade any Middle Eastern countries. He understood global warming.

That’ll seem mystifying to you, but just think how you still love Tony, whilst we went off him years ago. Around the time he invaded that Middle Eastern country – now, what was it called again? Well, never mind.

Yes, we thought that Hillary was almost in the White House. Then about a week ago, Plucky Iowa Decided That Barack Obama Should Win. Who he? Never heard of him.

So now, let’s take a look. Well – he’s a good talker. Passionate. Young, good-looking. Interesting. Fresh ideas. A bit like Kennedy?

Possibly … but maybe more like Tony Blair, come to think of it, circa 1997. In some ways perhaps this process is about the Democrats deciding if Obama is really electable, just like the Labour Party once did with Tony.

Our man was relatively inexperienced back then, but we still judged him credible, so maybe we’d vote for an Obama, after all. And doesn’t Hillary look like yesterday’s woman, just a little? Maybe a bit like Gordon Brown, now you mention it – destined for power for years, yet fatally lacking in excitement, right at the critical moment?

But wait a minute – if New Hampshire doesn’t think so, that can’t be right at all.

America hasn’t yet decided – and that’s just fine by us. Let’s hear a little more of this contest. Let’s hear what these two candidates can offer to America and to the world beyond as well

Because with either outcome – there are real opportunities here. The best news is that your turnouts are so high. New young voters are flooding into this process, and they’re engaged. You all are. You really care about this election. That’s great.

You’re likely to have a woman or a black man as President. That’s cool. Modern, even. A President who understands foreign policy, because they’ve actually got a passport. A President who’ll belatedly bring change, on global warming and Guantanamo.

A President elected by engaged voters, who will re-engage America with the rest of the world. That’s all we ask. And it looks like you feel the same. Hooray!

So will it be Hillary or Obama? I just don’t know. But it’s going to be great to watch. Because whatever happens this time, I’m certain that America will win. And that means so will we.

Sphere: Related Content

Tags: commentary