Obama v McCain: An Armenian nonvoter perspective on
America Decides 08
By Gayane Mkrtchyan
Published: 04 November, 2008
The worlds most internationally followed presidential race pitting a relatively young Afro-American reformer candidate against an elderly [typically WASP-backed] conservative runner could not but generate genuine interest even in such a small country as Armenia.
Still during the campaign in the US election, Gallup conducted a survey in 70 countries of the world to gauge the level of popularity of Democratic candidate Barack Obama and Republican candidate John McCain among non-American populace.
With 30 percent of non-Americans opting for Obama as the next resident of the White House, only eight percent said they wanted McCain to succeed George W. Bush as the president of the United States. According to the leading pollster, close to 60 percent of respondents either did not wish to express an opinion or said they were not interested.
Among the countries where Obama is particularly popular are the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France and Canada. Gallup says the Illinois senators rating of popularity in these countries exceeds 60 percent. Interestingly, Armenias northern neighbor Georgia is among rare countries that seem to favor McCain, a staunch critic of Tbilisis arch foe Russia who seemed to have sounded tougher than his Democratic rival on Moscows military campaign in South Ossetia in August. Still, McCains rating of popularity among Georgians is 23 percent, compared to Obamas 15 percent.
Decision 08 overseas could not have escaped the attention of ordinary Armenians who traditionally seem to care about the outcome of presidential elections in the United States that is home to the worlds second largest Armenian community.
Gallup says 43 percent of respondents in Armenia want to see Obama as the next US president, whole only 10 percent go with McCain, while 47 percent find it difficult to answer.
A small and unpretentious street survey conducted by ArmeniaNow in Yerevan in recent days only confirms Obama having a huge lead over his Republican rival.
Only two of near 20 people approached by the reporter said they favored McCain, while the rest said they were following the election campaign in the US with lively interest and favored Obama.
Economist Lusine Tadevosyan, 35, complained, however, that media always put an emphasis on Obamas skin color.
Maybe thats a US policy to make a show that they are such a democratic country that can allow an Afro-American to run for the top office, but, forgive me, if they say so much that they have been a democratic state for a long time, then why is that racism is still preserved there?
Lilit Arakelyan, 25, says that for the whole year she has followed the campaign coverage on CNN.
I am very interested in the genuine democratic struggle among candidates. The race in the primaries between senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to become the Democratic nominee was interesting by itself. Simply, I fear that having shown such great trust to Obama for so long, Americans will cast their ballot for the Republican candidate McCain at the last moment. But still I believe that racial discrimination no longer exists in the US and Americans will give their vote to Obama, who is endowed with all the skill and ability thats needed.
Still months ago Senator Obama pledged to the large American-Armenian community that he would affirm the Armenian genocide if elected president of the United States. This circumstance appears to have won him the support of a majority of the local Armenian community. Two Diaspora action groups were even set up to support Obama. (www.armenianamericansforobama.com and www.armeniansforobama.com)
Obamas pro-Armenian stance seems to have little impacts in Turkey, where 22 percent favor him, as opposed to 8 percent for McCain.
Naira Sargsyan, a 36-year-old teacher from Yerevan, thinks that despite Obamas promise to affirm the Genocide, a promise is still not a solution.
Many have made such promises because there are quite influential Armenian figures and generally a large community in the United States, however as life shows they forget these promises once they are voted into office, she says.
And Simon Margaryan, 45, says that the circumstance that McCain is a clear successor of the George W. Bush policy makes Obama a more preferred choice for American-Armenians. Besides, he says, Obama offers interesting solutions to deal with the current global financial crisis.
Anahit Harutyunyan, 60, says in the first place she was surprised to see an Afro-American candidate stay in the contest that long.
I think Obamas win will be especially important for national minorities, including for Armenians, who pin hopes on Obama to make good on his promise to affirm the Armenian genocide, says Anahit.
Unlike Obama, Arizona senator McCain has not made a promise to Armenians to do the same if elected Commander-in-Chief and is perceived by Armenians as the successor to the Bush administrations policy on the Genocide. The Republicans consider the World War I-era massacres and large-scale deportations of more than 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as a great calamity, but stop short of using the word genocide.
I just want the Armenian Genocide the be accepted.
If one looks at the two candidates in the long run there isnt any difference they are working for the same agenda. But at least I know that Obama is concidering the will of the Armenian population. I hope all gose well.
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