The U.S. taken its share of lumps in recent years. The biggest lumps have been torture and treatment of detainees in Guantanomo bay with the U.S.'s pathetic handling of the Katrina disaster, which drew attention to the the often desparate plight of minorities in the U.S. The U.S. once was able to claim the moral highground with some credibility even if it fell short in practice. However, with such blatant symbols of American hypocrisy, the image of the U.S. has suffered greatly under Bush. However, the election of Barack Obama provides an opportunity for the U.S. to once again claim some moral high ground relative to countries in Europe. The U.S. is not perfect, but the ability of its electorate to elect a minority, who has considerable intellect and talent, will be something that America's European allies have yet to match.
The potential election of Obama provides a dramatic opportunity to make history that we can all be a part of if we vote. Not only will it change the course of the U.S. from the disastrous direction followed by Bush, but it forces the world to re-assess how it views the U.S.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j1GW0sZliKLpiUanvfd53E-1nfygD946LAN00/snip
Where is Europe's Barack Obama? Not only are droves of Europeans hoping for a victory by the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, many are asking when France, Germany or Britain will get a chance to cast a ballot for a leader from their own burgeoning minorities.
The answer: not any time soon.
"Obama is rather far away. It's a bit of a fiction here, a bit of a dream," said Kadar Mkalache, tending a stand at the weekly market in Les Bosquets, a tough housing project in Montfermeil northeast of Paris.
/snip
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