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Yes We Care - My Blog
Yes We Care - My Blog
2 Days to Go
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Two days to go. For those of us who have been following the race for the Presidency for the last 20 months it is surreal for it to be so close to a conclusion. I can't even imagine what it must be like for the candidates and their staff, their most fervent volunteers and supporters.

During the last couple of months domestic issues have come to completely dominate the discussion. Once it looked like the war in Iraq and more generally on terrorism would be the number 1 issue in the election, but it has no paled against the more immediate and experiential concern of economic decline, gas prices and rising unemployment.

Despite his opposition to the Iraq war being a big part of his appeal in the Democratic Primary Obama barely mentions it these days, and only in the context of the economy, of the importance of ceasing to spend $10 billion a month there when the money was needed back at home.

Proportionally international issues now occupy less than 5% of the words in Obama's closing stump speech. He talks about "finishing the fight against bin Laden and Al Qaeda" without mentioning Pakistan or Afghanistan by name. Neither does he mention Russia, North Korea, Sudan or other international diplomatic challenges.

Global Warming too has fallen off the radar, replaced by gas prices and "energy independence" as central themes. The angle here is on national security and the national economy, creating "green collar jobs" to spark an economic recovery. There is little mention of the central challenge Global Warming represents to the world, beyond simply the impact of oil prices on America's economy and foreign oil dependency on America's security. The frame has shifted, and in a way that has failed to mobilize people against the real threat: rising temperatures, not rising prices.

McCain too barely mentions international issues, despite going into the general election campaign with national security at the heart of his qualifications. The economy has trumped all that. Only once he has made his economic pitch can he turn to this argument. "Senator Biden warned that Senator Obama would be tested with an international crisis", he says. "I have been tested, Senator Obama hasn't." McCain mentions Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Georgia more than Obama, but these issues are no longer front of mind for most voters, and particularly not for the mythical, declining in number, "undecided voter" the pitch is aimed at.

But international issues do pop their heads up in other ways. Colin Powell in his endorsement of Obama made restoring America's place in the world central to his argument. He believes that Obama will rebuild a collaborative relationship with the rest of the world, one based on mutual respect and shared goals rather than preemptory strikes and "with us or against us" frames.

The world's leading magazines are also speaking up: this week The Economist and Nature both endorsed Obama. For Nature it is thought to be the first time in their over 120-year history that they have done so.

Two days to go.

If you haven't already please sign the YesWeCare pledge and forward to all your friends. International issues matter more than many America's think to the coming four years, our economies, our climate's, our peace and security are too intertwined for them not to. Help raise the prominence of these issues and make your voice heard.

-Tom

November 3, 2008 | 12:08 PM Comments  0 comments

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