by George Ivanov

Created on: July 31, 2008

I am going to answer this question in favour of the one candidate that really deserves to lead the monolith to the south of the 49th parallel. Yes, I am talking about Barack Obama.

Writing as a Canadian that closely follows the economic and political situation in the United States, I will list my reasons for supporting my choice.

Barack Obama is less forceful and less confrontational than John McCain. A leader that does not swing to extremes from being excited by the smallest trifles, is one that can judge a situation on a cool head, and come up with an adequate response. An example would be McCain's recent words that he would push for the exclusion of Russia from the G8 countries, because of its "authoritative" and reportedly anti-democratic government. In contrast, Barack Obama has expressed desire and interest to work with his Russian counterpart in a constructive relationship, regardless of the differences in government.

John McCain represents a politician of an age that has already gone by. Mutual distrust and Cold War theatrics are the two factors that epitomize McCain's political style. He is under the impression that the United States still has a leading, unchallenged role in the "free world", but that is no longer the case. Once upon a time, it may have been. Now, however, is time for a change towards a greater level of international cooperation in regards to problems that affect countries simultaneously globally and locally climate change, terrorism, international organized crime, and in the future, water and food shortages.

Obama also agreed to engage in diplomatic relations with Iran, a country which the United States has obstinately refused to converse with for nearly thirty years. McCain, on the other hand, supports a military decision to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, when there is no alleged proof of the intent of such aims for the country's nuclear program.

There is no question that the wisest teacher is life, and around the time Barack Obama was born, John McCain was a PoW in Vietnam. From therein stems the latter's archaic political style. McCain shows that he truly despises the old regime of the Soviet Union, and realizes that the same people, who were in power then in Russia, are in power now. A PoW in his place might have killed himself to escape the humiliation that comes with being captured by the opposite side. Not to insinuate that McCain should not be among the living, but it is wrong to use that experience in his election

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