Bravo Amadou et Mariem! Vous faites honneur au Mali serieux dans le travail.

Lacroixfrancis from France, is incredulous with joy:

Pour eux cela doit être irréel, ce retrouver a chanter devant ce phénomène , bravo Monsieur Obama, pour ce choix si judicieux et tellement symbolique, vous au moins ne faites pas dans le BLINGBLING, le Mali peut être fier de ce choix et ce dire que les américains vont peut être enfin savoir ou ce trouve ce petite pays d'Afrique,THANK YOU SO MUCH MISTER PRESIDENT !! and good luck Marianne et Amadou, I HAVE A DREAM!!!!

Julien Michel sees the invitation as a sign of recognition of lesser-known talents from lesser-known nations:

Je tiens à saluer les performances de ce groupe qui au dela de leur talents musicaux ont su transmettre un réel message venu d'afrique, de la population dite “pauvre” (bien qu'elle soit très riche d'un point de vue culturelle et qu'on en parle pas assez).
je tiens aussi à saluer le geste “d'ouverture” du président américain Mr Obama qui à compris les enjeux de demain et qui a su tendre la main à des talents moins dirigés par la course aux bénéfices.

Sometimes, Africa and American politics come together in the most unsuspected place from the most unsuspected band. The long-awaited album from the heavy metal band Guns N' Roses, Chinese Democracy, has one track called Madagascar (see video below).

The song speaks of drifting “so far out from the shore that I can't find my way back, my way anymore” a recurrent theme when it comes to Madagascar. The mention of an African country is already a not-so familiar territory in the heavy metal universe but the more unexpected part is that, as seen on the video, a major portion of the song contains part of Martin Luther King Jr's famed speech, “I have a dream”. And that's how, thanks to Axl Rose, one mixes rock n' roll, civil right movement and Africa.
Almost on cue, Malagasy blogger Vola recently wrote a blog post celebrating the life of Dr. King, 40 years after his passing and invites her readers to attend an exhibition in honor of his memory.

(photo credit to Vola)

Donald Kipkorir in Nairobi, Kenya writes a fictional memo from Obama to his Kenyan supporters:

During the campaigns, I consistently and fondly spoke of my Kenyan roots. I am an American citizen and, on January 20, 2009, I will be America's 44th president. As a son of a Kenyan father, I know that Section 90 of your constitution bestows upon me automatic citizenship. In the fullness of time, who knows, Michelle and I may decide to come and retire in the land of my father. I know that most, if not all, Kenyans expect me to have a magic wand to your problems and aspirations. To avoid future misunderstandings, we need to agree at the outset on my limitations. And I am making candid confessions only because of my paternal heritage and the special place you hold in my life. […] America as the pre-eminent democracy, military and economic power in the world faces unique challenges which we are demanded of to resolve or lead the way. Part of our foreign policy is to ensure the safety and secure borders of Israel, safe routes of our oil supplies and commitment to our bilateral and multi-lateral allies. Kenya has always been our friend, and these ties shall now be strengthened by my heritage. Our relationship could be imperiled should your foreign policy be at odds with ours. We will never dictate your foreign policy as you are a sovereign state, but our relationship is dependent on your choices. Before I forget, there is the issue of visas and immigration to America. I know that most Kenyans, including the hundreds of thousands who live or study in America, are now expecting preferential treatment. The US citizenship and immigration services are an independent federal department that deals with issues of visa, immigration and citizenship.

The topic of visa authorization to the US for Kenyans was also revisited by Wonkie in a humorous cartoon. The article also states that the current domestic challenges facing the future Obama administration are probably too great to address anything else:

He has a lot on his plate and mostly back on home ground - from the dire financial crisis and Iraq to health care - there is no shortage of challenges. Still, surprisingly, Mr Obama has made some foreign policy commitment to Africa - e.g. assistance with funding for ARV for HIV patients. Something for Africans to be optimistic about though it’s not quite the equivalent of visa-free travel to the US that many were secretly hoping for in Kenya.

Rajiosy, a Malagasy blogger, also wants everyone to calm down from the messianic rhetoric about Obama (fr):

Ne nous emballons pas. Obama a gagné avec environ 53% des voix. Ca laisse quand même 47% de non-croyants aux Etats-Unis. Quant au reste du monde, je crois que dans les campagnes du monde, il y a un certain nombre de gens qui s’en foutent complètement. Allons, allons, l’Amérique n’est pas le nombril du monde. Arrogance (inconsciente) quand tu nous tiens…
La terre a tourné avant Obama. Elle tourne pendant Obama. Elle tournera après Obama. Cette vénération est vraiment stupide. Rappelons-nous, la foule grégaire aime bien brûler ce qu’elle a adoré.

First, as German blogger Yaschka Mounk reported, there was the rumor that Sarkozy might have had one too many drinks with Putin before a Press conference in 2007 (see video below):

Then, as you can see in French blog rue89, there was the infamous cover of a Polish magazine that displayed a modified photo of Putin spanking Sarkozy, graphically criticizing the current leader of the European Union for being too lenient with Russia over the Georgian crisis. It turns out that Sarkozy did have some influence over Putin when they met to discuss this matter. In the Netherlands, Michael Van der Galien at the Poligazette, quoting from the Times of London, writes that Sarkozy was successful at preventing Putin from further escalating the crisis in Georgia:

When Sarkozy was in Moscow in August this year, in order to establish peace between Georgia and Russia, Vladimir Putin told Sarkozy he wanted to hang Saakashvili “by the balls,” meaning forcibly removing him from power.
Sarkozy told Putin that the international community would not accept that from Moscow. Putin didn’t care. ““I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” he said.
Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”
Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

He adds:

Lessons learned:
1. Sarkozy saved Saakashvili
2. Fear of “ending up like Bush” now functions as deterrent

World bloggers are picking up the meme that the fear of being like Bush might be the most effective way to prevent world leaders from acting too impetuously.

Alex Massie from Scotland, calls President GW Bush: “the Inadvertent Peacemaker“. Superfrenchie ( France) is amused that the language of diplomacy can be so colorful.
However, others are not pleased that this conversation was leaked to the Press. In the comment section of the original article, Richard Grey in London writes:

good Bush joke, but shame the French leaked this out. Sarkozy is Europe's strongest leader, he needs other leaders of the world to trust he wouldn't send confidential conversations out to the press

In the same comment section,Angel, from Sofia, Bulgaria, agrees:

This is french propaganda campaign which sought to reassure other european countries that their security and well-being can depend on the french paper tiger.
It is also possible for them to play good cop bad cop with the russians, with the aim of replacing NATO with ESDP.

Even a French blogger concurs. Pierre Vienot in New York, US, protests:

“Monsieur le President, self promotion is unacceptable! Your advisor should shut up.”

Jentilisa writes in depth about the fascination with the American Dream. As a case in point, he points towards a popular TV show opening with the spangled banner and a cartoon where a farmer goes to the voting booth asking if he can vote for Obama. He asks where is the drive to show that much interest in our own flag and our nation(mg):

eharehan'ny Amerikana ery ny sainany fa ny sainam-pirenenao mpamaky io moa mba ankafizinao va? Sa tahaka ny ahoana no atao mba hitiavanao azy?

Everywhere in the USA, you will see people displaying their flags with pride but how about your flag dear reader ? What would it take for you to cherish it as much ?

He adds:

Ny Amerikana Amerikana foana na iza mitondra eo na iza! Mirehareha amin'ny mahaizy azy izy. Manandratra ny kolontsainy izy, miaro ny tombotsoany amin'ny fomba rehetra izy fa ny anao kosa manao ahoana? Toa manao fitan-droa… sadasada ihany fa sady te-ho mpitarika na olona mpitantana ambony eto Madagasikara no mizaka ny zom-pirenena heverina fa miaro ny tombotsoany manokana.

The USA will always be the USA, whoever wins this thing ! They will carry their identity with pride. They will hurt the environment* they promote their culture and protect their interest but how about your own interest? It seems that it’s a bit fishy…they want to be the leader of the world and at the time support the development of Madagascar, yet also look out for their particular interest in the region.

 As the results of the election became official, many Facebook users reacted. Alain Rasendra offers his take (fr):

Grant Park m'a mis la larme à l'oeil. C'est l'Amérique que nous aimons tous, avec son leadership rassembleur et mobilisateur. Bravo à tous les Américains d'offrir au monde ce wind of change.

Grant Park got me all teared up. This is the America that we all like, a mobilizing and uniting force. Congratulations to all americans for offering this wind of change.

Sandy Rarivoson observes (fr):

voici venu l'ère des métis

The era of racial mixes is here

Thierry Andriamirado says not the case in Madagascar though (fr):

Si je ne me trompe les métis n'ont clairement pas le droit de se présenter aux élections présidentieles à Madagascar, d'après la Constitution en vigueur.. bah au moins je suis tranquile, mes enfants ne se lanceront donc pas dedans.

If I am not mistaken, according to Madagascar, biracials are not allowed to run in the presidential election in Madagascar. At least, I am at peace, my kids will not get into all that.

Other Malagasy netizens explained why they have followed the election so closely and what an Obama administration would mean to them:
Hasina Noel posts on his Facebook profile:

This proves to the world that the U.S is still one of the greatest country in the world. Something like this will be almost impossible in any other countries.

Lalaina Ramarivelo adds:

I would say that I hope that the whole world would have a new vision of our race, black people.

(*correction: translation corrected by reader Rado)

The interview can be heard below and touched on various topics: Palin’s hope for elections, her admiration for the way Sarkozy energized French politics, hunting and their respective spouses.

Richard Hétu, from Canada, reacts to the news (fr):

Décidément, la campagne présidentielle ne prendra pas fin trop tôt pour Sarah Palin, qui s’est fait piéger par les Justiciers Masqués, comme on peut l’entendre dans le clip ci-dessus. La gouverneure d’Alaska croyait s’entretenir au téléphone avec Nicolas Sarkozy, qui lui a notamment parlé de Johnny Halliday, son «conseiller spécial»

The presidential campaign definitely cannot end early enough for Sarah Palin, who was victimized by the Masked Avengers in a phone prank, as you can hear in the clip below. The governor of Alaska believed she was conversing with Nicolas Sarkozy who mentioned to her his special adviser, Johny Halliday ( translator's note: Halliday is a reknowned French singer, famous for being a strong Sarkozy supporter and whose affinity for American culture made him  chose an American alias).

Hadya, in the comments section, still cannot believe Palin fell for the prank:

Et cet accent Français exagéré! C’est tellement caricatural.Mais comment elle a pu marcher à ce point?

And the overdone French accent! It's such a caricature. How could she have fallen for it for that long?

JimdeQuebec does not appreciate the Masked Avengers brand of humor and finds attenuating circumstances for the fact that Palin persevered with the conversation despite the growing absurd remarks by the comedian. However,  he is still appalled that Palin does not seem to know who the Canadian prime minister is:

Que Palin ne sache pas que le premier ministre du Canada est Stephen Harper me sidère! Biensûr, je suppose que lorsque vous parlez à un président étrangé d’un pays du G8 vous fermez votre gueule même devant les blagues de mauvais goût, spécialement si l’interlocuteur a un accent imcompréhensible et que vous êtes plus ou moins sûr de tout saisir.  

The fact Palin does not seem to know that the prime minister of Canada is Stephen Harper blows my mind! I suppose that when one is talking to the president of a G8 nation, one would keep quiet even when confronted with dubious jokes, especially if that person has an incomprehensible accent and that you are not sure that you understood everything he said.

Julie Connan, highlights the fact that Sarah Palin reveals that in eight years, she might just run at the top of the ticket:

Sarah Palin se dit confiante avant le scrutin de mardi et se réjouit que les sondages montrent un rétrécissement de l'écart entre les candidats démocrate et républicain.”Je vous vois présidente un jour vous aussi”, dit alors l'humoriste. “Peut-être dans huit ans”, lui répond Sarah Palin avec un petit rire 

Sarah Palin said that she was confident before election day on Tuesday that was excited that the polls showed the republican ticket closing the gap on the democrats. “I can see you as a president one day,” says the comedian. “Maybe in eight years,” answered a giggling Sarah Palin.

Tunisian blogger, ALGY, also blogs about the prank and links to her latest commentary on Sarah Palin:

Il faut bien davantage pour convaincre et séduire les électrices que de leur proposer de rallier le panache d’une farouche chasseuse d’ours, elle-même assez inexpérimentée. Mais c’est surtout un choix qui frise l’absurde quand on sait que les féministes, les plus susceptibles de voter pour une Femme par conviction idéologique, rejetteront Palin en raison de ses positions anti-avortement.

It may take more than that to convince and seduce women voters, more than an inexperienced charismatic bear hunter. However, the absurdity of the Palin pick lies mainly in the fact that feminists, who may lean towards a female candidate from an ideological perspective, will reject Palin based on her pro-life stance.

It seems that the attitude has slightly changed since 2003. In the comment section of the aforementioned post, Nicolas Krebbs posts the following quote from an US expatriate in France:

“As an American living in France, I can tell you that Europeans can’t believe the arrogance the Bush administration has shown with many decisions and comments that spelled a “we don’t need anyone” attitude. Really? Now the Bush needs Europe and the rest of the world to help solve the financial crisis which happened under his guard. Most Europeans think that an Obama administration will mend fences and treat the rest of the world with the respect they deserve. Expats in France had to put up with American insults to the French, from being called cowards, to “freedom fries”, and pouring down the drain French wine, etc. etc. So who was right? Was Iraq a threat to National Security for the US? Facts show it wasn’t.”

However, there are still some lingering uneasy feelings and misunderstandings between both sides. Charles Brenner, correspondent of the Times in Paris wrote on a blog post entitled Obama, the French American Idol :

France has an idealised and schizophrenic view of the United States that dates back to 1776 when King Louis XVI helped the colonial insurgents fight Britain's peace-keeping force. France feels that it has a founding share in the nation which bestowed jazz, GIs, cocktails, JFK and Clint Eastwood on Europe. It dislikes what it sees as the more primary, messianic and intolerant America that is represented by Republicans and personified by George W Bush.

His blog post prompted some strong reactions:
Schoendog writes:

“That cinches it! If the white- flag waving French want Obama….that means McCain- Palin is the correct choice!”

and Scott K adds:

The French, arrogant, snobbish people that they are, would love nothing more to see our country to become as polluted as theirs is now. Liberalism has wrecked Europe. It has been especially brutal in France. France is a disaster. Obama would bring this wreck to the US. So of course France supports Obama. Let Obama go live in France. psst… France… This is not France….THIS IS THE UNITED STATES. GO F YOURSELVES!

However, republicans leaders seem to be warming up to a normalized relationship with France. McCain embraces the fact that president Sarkozy is more willing to cooperate with the US than his predecessor:
McCain:

“I think relations with France will continue to improve no matter who is president of the United States because this president is committed to greater cooperation and values our friendship.”

So what do Europeans think of the latest comment from the Republican presidential candidate?

Guillemette Faure, a French blogger at rue89 is amused but not surprised:

C’est le dernier gros mot de la campagne. « Au moins en Europe, les dirigeants socialistes qui admirent tellement mon adversaire affichent franchement leurs objectifs », a dit John McCain en meeting. Notez les deux attaques en une : Obama est socialiste + Obama est soutenu par l’étranger [..] Obama a trouvé la parade : « Warren Buffet (le milliardaire) a appelé à voter pour moi, Colin Powell aussi et John McCain pense que j’adhère au socialisme”.

It is the latest dirty word of the campaign: “At least in Europe, the socialist leaders who so admire my opponent are upfront about their objectives” said McCain in a meeting. Note the two-in-one line of attack: Obama is a socialist and he is supported by the foreigners. [..] Obama found the counter-argument though: “Warren Buffet, the billionaire, has called to vote for me, as well as Colin Powell and John McCain thinks I adhere to socialism.”

Alex Engwete (Ethiopia) explains that the confusion between communism and socialism is frequent in the US:

Beaucoup de gens ici croient que le socialisme équivaut au système communiste. Hier, dans le café éthiopien de mon quartier à Washington DC, je me suis époumoné à expliquer à quelques clients les faits suivants (sans grand succès d’ailleurs) : 1) Sarkozy n’est pas socialiste, encore moins communiste ; 2) Le communisme suppose l’appropriation des moyens de production par l’Etat…

Many people here equate socialism to the communist system. Yesterday, I was in an Ethiopian coffee place in DC, and I explained till I was blue in the face to a few clients (without much success) that 1) Sarkozy is by no means a socialist, not to mention a communist 2) Communism entails the appropriation of means of production by the government…

Nathalie Mattheiem, blogger at americana, thinks that the new found love for the S word is a sign that the T word (for terrorist) did not quite stick and concludes that the S word may not do much good for McCain either:

un signe, peut-être que l’accusation de “copinage avec un terroriste” ne donne pas le résultat escompté contre Barack Obama? [..] En pleine crise économique, les Américains (dont le revenu moyen tourne autour de 45 000 dollars) seront-ils réellement scandalisés par une proposition qui vise à baisser l’impôts pour la majorité d’entre eux, tout en ramenant aux taux des années Clinton la taxation du 1,5% des ménages qui déclarent un revenu supérieur à un quart de million de dollars?

A sign that maybe the accusation of “paling with a terrorist” did not provoke the desired result against Obama ? In the midst of an economic crisis, Americans (whose average income is around $45,000) may not be too offended by a proposal tax reduction for most of them while bringing back the taxation levels for households with more than 1/4 of a million dollars salary to the Clinton years level of 1.5%?

Mattheiem notes later:

“un candidat qui a pu “plaisanter” que la richesse commence à 5 millions de dollars n’a sans doute pas une vue précise de l’Amérique “moyenne”.

A candidate who can “joke” that one would start to be considered rich with an income of 5 millions dollars may not have the most accurate picture of what the average American earns.

Claire, blogging from Germany at cheeseburger and sauerkraut, would like to clarify the myth about Europe and socialism:

Germany, contrary to what many seem to believe, is NOT a socialist country. I have no idea why this myth continues to exist:
1. There is no universal health care in Germany. The government requires health insurance but does not pay it. The government does not pay for my health insurance, or that of my father-in-law, friends, etc. Rather, I pay 50% of my health care and my employer pays the other 50%. I can provide my pay stub as evidence. The government only pays for the health insurance of the unemployed.
2. The government does not own the means of production in Germany. Germany is a free market economy.
3. There are certain regulations, such as on banks and energy. This is to ensure that consumers do not get ripped off.
4. Freedom of speech and press are protected with in the German constitution.

Finally, Alexandre Vatimbella at Le centrisme (France), explains that both McCain and Obama would not really fit in with either the left or right wing parties in France:

Reste que, malgré les effets de manche et les sermons de tribune, John McCain et, surtout, Barack Obama sont deux vrais centristes [..] en France, Barack Obama n’aurait ni sa carte au Parti socialiste (dont les responsables se méfient de lui comme de tous les candidats démocrates pas assez à gauche selon eux, exception sans doute de George McGovern en 1972, balayé par Richard Nixon), ni à l’UMP (dont les responsables, ont la fâcheuse tendance de supporter les Démocrates plutôt que les Républicains pourtant nettement plus proches de leurs idées politiques).

Nevertheless, despite the pandering and the public sermons, John McCain and Barack Obama, are two true moderates [..] in France, Barack Obama would not have been accepted in the socialist party (whose leaders are weary of all Democrat candidates, not enough to the left according to them, except for McGovern in 1972, defeated by Richard Nixon) nor in the UMP (French ruling conservative party) whose leaders have the odd habit of supporting the Democrats instead of Republicans, despite being closer to the republican ideology.

So will the economic crisis affect Madagascar and how ? Madagascan explains (fr) :

En conclusion, oui, Madagascar sera inévitablement impactée par la crise internationale actuelle. D'une part parce qu'il est prévisible que les Etats resserrent leurs aides aux pays pauvres, d'autre part parce que les grands projets actuels dans le pays auront probablement des problèmes de capacité d'investissement très rapidement, et enfin parce qu'une source importante de richesse du pays, le tourisme, sera fatalement affecté

In conclusion, yes, Madagascar will inevitably be affected by the current global crisis. Firstly, because of the reduced aid to developing countries. Secondly, because many of the current large mining projects will suffer from a shortage of investors and finally because the other source of wealth of the country, tourism, will certainly be affected.

Randy do it, a national Malagasy journalist and blogger, provides a “how the marketplace works for beginners” by using an analogy that involves a fictional rural market place trading monkeys (fr):

Dès lors qu’il a le dos tourné, son assistant rassemble les villageois et leur indique les cages, avec les milliers de singes que leur a achetés son patron “Si vous le voulez, leur dit-il, moi, je vous cède ces singes à 35 dollars l’unité. Ainsi, lorsque mon patron reviendra, vous pourrez les lui revendre à 50 dollars. » Les villageois, aveuglés par la perspective de cet enrichissement facile, sortent toutes leurs économies, vendent leurs biens pour racheter les singes. Le magot encaissé, l’assistant disparaît dans la nuit. On ne le verra plus. Ni lui, ni son patron. Dans le village, rien que des singes, courant dans tous les sens. Et Nadim Kalife de conclure son histoire par un édifiant : « Bienvenue dans le monde de la Bourse ! » Eh, oui ! Il y a quelque chose d’aventureux à vendre un singe à dix dollars, puis à le racheter à 35 dollars, en espérant le vendre une seconde fois à 50 dollars.

As soon as the boss turns his back, his assistant gathers the villagers and points to the cages with the thousands of monkeys his boss just purchased. “If you want,” he tells them, “I will sell those monkeys to you for $35 a piece. When, my boss returns, you can sell them to him for $50.” The villagers, blinded by the prospect of easy money, dive into their savings and sell all their possessions to buy the monkeys back. Once the money was collected, the assistant vanished into the night. He was never seen again. Not him, and not his boss. In the village, there is nothing but monkeys running everywhere. And Nadim Kalife to conclude his story: “welcome to the global marketplace!” Clearly, there is something risky about selling a monkey for $10, buying them back for $35 and trying to resell them at $50.

Finally, Moonlight girl, new blogger from Antanarivo, tells a sobering story of the consequence of extreme poverty and how it affect health care for many in Madagascar. She recalls a recent encounter in a bus in Antananarivo:

She started to cry and tell me that she just gave birth 2 days ago at a famous public hospital. She was poor and didn’t have the money to buy medicine for the baby who suddenly became sick. At this hospital, if you can’t buy the medicines you need, it means you’re waiting for death. They don’t care about the person’s situation. So her baby died, and this woman didn’t have money to take him back home. She lived at Ambatofotsy , which is very far from town. Taking a taxi to those places , will cost a fortune. Now, she’s going to her sister’s house at Ambohipo; to take her child. I was heartbroken and terrified at the same time, thinking about this woman carrying her dead baby around. The driver’s aid, was very angry and started to yell at the woman, and forced her out the bus. He said, that she did something very taboo, about letting a dead be among the living. The poor woman just left the bus, not wanting to cause anymore trouble.

[Cross-posted on Global Voices Online]

Mired in their rancorous culture wars and squabbling among themselves, they seem oblivious to the fact that American global leadership is fast ebbing away. A new world is coming into being almost unnoticed, where America is only one of several great powers, facing an uncertain future it can no longer shape.

In the comment section, many thought that the claim that US leadership is on the decline is premature, if not false. Strifez argues:

It is entirely delusionatory. The US isn't any poorer than it was 8 years ago. In fact, its richer. Both GDP and GDP-per capita has grown at rates that Europe envies. The gap between American science/technology and the rest of the world, according to a study this year, has increased (to the US's advantage), not narrowed. And the US military, despite years of fighting on the other side of the planet, is as potent as it has ever been, and at the start of a 5 year, $100 billion “reset program.”

He adds:

But far too often, the economy, this immense beast which far too many people trivialize to be as simple as a football score (Dow down 320 = Manchester United blown out 5-0). Some parts are thriving, others are rotten to the core[..] In short, a lot of this declinist stuff is a gigantic circular argument. People already come into the debate wanting the US to be decline [..]No nation is perfect. America has many, many flaws, and much it must do to correct them (and questionable leadership ability to do it). But the people within America, the actual Americans, are in the midst of making historic leaps ahead and advances in every sector.

There is no denying the major influence of US economy on the global marketplace. For instance, in Cambodia, KJE explains how the crisis affects the country:

The garment sector will not suffer too much as the garments produced are for the most part low-end items that will have a market even in bad times. Wal-Mart is the best example. They posted an increase in sales in the first quarter of 2008 despite the bad economic news and with many people losing their homes and jobs.Tourism will stagnate in 2009, perhaps starting in the last quarter of 2008 already. Many Europeans are already staying home or opting for less expensive destinations in the Mediterranean (due to shorter flights). On the other hand, Cambodia is still an attractive destination as both accommodations and meal prices are despite a 23% rate of inflation still very reasonable compared to Thailand or Indonesia, for instance.The real estate bubble will deflate but not burst.

In South Africa, Mariam Isa notes that the economic crisis has already affected the manufacturing industry:

Any recovery will be muted by a slump in the global economy, with manufacturing activity in some of SA's main trade partners stalling dramatically in the same month [..] A lot of things are happening now which will have a negative impact on SA - purchasing managers are hesitant about buying into this (manufacturing) recovery.

Questions arise about whether the US government owning financing institutions is a sign that the US economy is drifting away from a market-driven society. Michael van der Galien at the PoliGazette (Netherlands) explains why he thinks that is not correct:

I do not believe that the market will not be able to overcome the current crisis. Of course it will be able to deal with it; it’s just that millions of lives will be destroyed if the government doesn’t help the market deal with this problem. The market can deal with it, but against a terrible price[..] I’m glad, or will be glad if neo-liberal market fundamentalism in development strategy dies at quick death as a result of this Wall Street pity party. But, I still believe, for better or worse, the US will remain a more market-oriented society than the EU

Finally, Andrew Sullivan (United Kingdom) quotes Robert Gates on a call for a reduced role of America in the world:

First, limits about what the United States - still the strongest and greatest nation on earth - can do. The power of our military's global reach has been an indispensable contributor to world peace - and must remain so. But not every outrage, every act of aggression, every crisis can or should elicit an American military response, and we should acknowledge such.

“But I've decided I don't care if they hate me or not. After all, they say that we as Americans shouldn't care whether people outside the United States hate us. So why should I care if they hate me?”

The question is: should the candidates care about the rest of the world’s perception of America ?

After the first presidential debate on national security and foreign relations, bloggers from around the world have spoken. Here is more of what transpired from the Francophone blogosphere:

François Clemenceau from France highlights the fact that the two candidates have very contrasted views on how to mend the relationship with the rest of the world (fr):

« McCain a évoqué pour la première fois devant un si vaste public son concept de Ligue des Démocraties sans préciser qu’il aimerait la voir remplacer les Nations Unies alors que c’est bien ce qui se cache derrière les inventeurs néoconservateurs de cette formule. Obama n’a pas évoqué les Nations Unies qui sentent un peu le souffre chez l’oncle Sam mais il parlé du monde global et des alliés en insistant sur la perte considérable de prestige et de crédibilité des Etats-Unis ces huit dernières années dans le monde. »

McCain evokes for the first time in front of a large audience his concept of a League of Democracy, without precising whether he'd like for that league to replace the United Nations which is the hidden agenda of neocons who created that concept. Obama did not mention the UN which is a sensitive subject in the US, but he spoke of US allies in the global world and the US critical loss of prestige and credibility in the past eight years.

Nathalie Mattheiem also sensed a major contrast of viewpoints on the US role in the world during the debate (fr):

“Les deux hommes représentent une approche différente du rôle des États-Unis dans le monde, mais ce n’est pas la préoccupation première des Américains en ces temps de crise économique »

The two candidates have a very different approach of the US role on the global scene. However, it does not matter much to Americans in this time of economic crisis.

She adds :

« John McCain, à force d’insister sur son expérience et sa familiarité avec le terrain international, a souligné involontairement le fait qu’il n’apparaît pas radicalement plus qualifié que son rival démocrate. Le léger mépris dont il ne se départit pas envers son rival s’en trouve d’autant moins justifié… surtout compte tenu de ses propres moments d’hésitation - en particulier sur le Pakistan. »

By insisting on his experience and familiarity with international politics, John McCain highlighted involuntarily that he is not really more qualified than his Democract opponent. The slight spite he showed towards his rival is even less justified when we saw his own hesitations about Pakistan.

Jerome Bernard, former French AFP journalist, was amused that nothing during the debate probably made more of an impact than Obama countering McCain’s bracelet story with his own story (fr). It might have been decisive in not losing too much ground in the patriotic votes.

De Montalembert surveys the demographic distribution of the state in 2006:

Chiffres de 2006 (Statistics for 2006).
Population totale (Total population) :
Floride (Florida): 18 089 888 habitants
Miami Dade : 2 402 208 habitants
Population d’origine hispanique ou latine (Hispanic population)
Floride : 20,2 %
Miami Dade : 61,3 %
Personnes dont la langue parlée à la maison n’est pas l’anglais (people whose language at home is not English)
Floride : 23,9 %
Miami Dade : 67,9 %
Population noire (Black population):
Floride : 15,8 %
Miami Dade : 20,2 %

De Montalembert asks Cuban-Americans who they will vote for in November in why (fr):

Question : Pourquoi les immigrés cubains sont-ils majoritairement républicains ?
Réponse : Nous voulons que le pays soit dirigé par des conservateurs. Des gens qui se battent contre les pays dont la population est oppressée… Les Démocrates, ils sont du coté de Mao ou de Fidel Castro !
Q : Qu’est-ce qui vous plait d’autre chez les Républicains ?
R : Avec eux, chacun est responsable de sa vie. Ils ne nous disent pas quoi faire. Dans la vie, tout se paye. A Cuba, tout est gratuit mais on n’est pas libre. On fait des études mais on ne peut pas trouver un emploi correctement payé. Ici, personne ne nous embête. C’est ça l’esprit républicain !

Question: Why are Cuban immigrate mostly in favor of McCain ?
Answer: We want the country to be led by conservatives. People who fight against countries where the population is oppressed..The Democrats, the are on the side of Mao and Fidel Castro !
Question: What appeals to you the most with the Republicans ?
Answer: With them, everyone is responsible of their own lives. They don't tell us what to do. In life, everything has a price. In Cuba, everything is free but we are not free. We go to school but then we cannot find a decent paying job. Here, no one bothers you. That is the republican spirit !

The interviewees then turn the table on De Montalembert and ask why people in Europe are in favor of Obama:

Là, j’ai un peu expliqué nos différences de culture, les liens entre politique et religion, la peine de mort, le port d’armes, les soins de santé, les lois autorisant l’avortement, etc. Cela ne leur a fait ni chaud ni froid mais nous nous sommes quittés très amicalement.

I explained the differences with respect to culture, the links between politics and religion, the death penalty, the right to carry weapons, health care, abortion laws etc. It did not really move them either way but we left on very amicable terms.

De Montalembert also asked Keith, an African American Chef at the famed “Bouchon du Grove” in Miami and long-time life partner of his Italian girlfriend why he will vote for Obama:

Question : Miami est-elle une ville raciste ?
Réponse : Non, franchement ! J’ai habité longtemps la Nouvelle Orléans où je sentais vraiment du racisme. Pareil en Iowa, Etat dans lequel j’ai été élevé. Ici, presque pas
Q : Croyez-vous au changement par la présidentielle ?
R : le vice-président choisi par Obama est excellent (NDLR : Joe Biden) ! Ce ne sera pas du changement du jour au lendemain, évidemment ! Il faut que l’économie s’améliore, ce qui passerait par un retrait complet d’Irak. L’argent que nous économiserions ainsi pourrait être réinjecté dans les rouages de l’économie nationale.
Q : La question des assurances santé semble clef pour une partie de la population…
R : Je ne suis pas totalement persuadé par les arguments d’Obama sur ce sujet. Mais au moins, il veut faire quelque chose. Quant à la question d’un programme genre « Universal Care » (Sécurité sociale pour tous), cela me semble totalement impossible aux Etats-Unis ; nous sommes bien trop nombreux !
Q : De quel œil voyez-vous ce lien redondant entre religion et politique ?
R : Les politiques ne devraient jamais s’engager dans des domaines religieux ! Même en parler relève de l’hypocrisie.

Q: Is there a lot of racism in Miami ?
A: Honestly, No ! I lived in New-Orleans where I really sensed a bit of racism still, same for Iowa, the state where I grew up. Here, almost never.
Q: Do you believe that the presidential elections can bring change ?
A: The VP chosen by Obama (Joe Biden) is excellent. Evidently, change won't happen overnight. The economy has to get better, which starts with a total withdrawal in Iraq. The money that we save from that could be be reinvested for the benefit of the national economy.
Q: The question of health care insurance seems key for most of the population….
A: I am not totally convinced by Obama's argument on this matter. But at least, he is trying to do something about it. On the question of universal health care, it seems impossible in the US, we are far too many.
Q: How do you see the growing link between religion and politics ?
Politicians should not venture into religious issues. Just talking about it is hypocritical.

Finally, with respect to the women vote, the Palin effect in Florida will apparently benefit Obama although De Montalambert notes that Palin's rally in Lady Lake drew quite a crowd.

From France, Patrick Sabatier points out that John McCain has a tough task ahead of him because his basic philosophy on the economy, fewer regulations and less transparency on financial transactions, are at the very core of the current failing of the finance giants of Wall Street.

” Il y a quelques mois encore, le candidat républicain déclarait au Wall Street Journal “être en toutes circonstances favorable au minimum de régulation”. Mardi matin encore il expliquait en Floride “ne pas aimer les réglementations excessives et inutiles”. Sa colistière Sarah Palin promettait dans le Colorado que le tandem républicain allait résoudre la crise en “dégageant la voie pour le secteur privé en en écartant le gouvernement”. Propos en parfaite contradiction avec la politique suivie depuis des mois par l'administration républicaine et assez irresponsables puisque pratiquement tous les économistes conviennent que le krach des géants de la finance de Wall Street est la conséquence directe de l'absence de contrôle, de réglementation et de transparence de leurs activités, dont McCain reconnaît lui-même qu'elles tiennent plus de la table de jeu au casino que d'autre chose. Mais les candidats républicains ne peuvent ni dénoncer la politique passée de Bush, ni applaudir sa politique actuelle, sans auparavant abjurer leur credo ultra-libéral.”

A few months ago, the Republican candidate stated to the Wall Street Journal that he was under all circumstances in favor of minimal regulations. Tuesday morning, he was still explaining in Florida that he was against excessive, useless regulations. His VP Sarah Palin promised in Colorado that the Republican tandem will solve the crisis by moving aside the government to make ways for the private sector. Unfortunately, those statements are in perfect contradiction to the strategy followed by the Republican administration for a few months and quite irresponsible because practically all economists agree that the current crisis in Wall Street is a direct consequence of the absence of control, regulations and transparency for the activities of these financial giants. McCain himself recognizes that their activities are closer to gambling at the casino than anything else. However, the Republican candidate cannot denounce the politics of the past by Bush, neither his current policy without denying their ultra conservative credo first.

Mariane Enault from France argues that although one may think that this argument is only reserved to Europe, it is the same old debate all over again: interventionism vs laissez-faire. She explains each candidate's basic philosophy.

McCain argues that the foundations of the economy are sound:

“la crise bancaire, “ce n'est pas la faute des Américains”. Pour lui, les coupables sont tout trouvés, “les intérêts particuliers, la cupidité, l'irresponsabilité et la corruption qui ont miné le dur labeur des Américains”. Il promet s'il est élu “de mettre fin aux abus”. En la matière, le républicain se veut plutôt rassurant. “Les éléments fondamentaux de l'économie sont solides”

The banking crisis is not the fault of the American people. For him, the culprits are obvious: “particular interests, greed, irresponsibility and corruption have undermined the hard labor of Americans”. He promises to “put an end to the abuse.” For that matter, the Republican wants to be reassuring: “The basic elements of the economy are solid”

Democratic candidate Barack Obama has a different view:

“De quelle économie parle-t-il? Je pense que [McCain] ne comprend pas” [..] Obama souhaite ainsi renforcer l'autorité des organismes de régulation, restructurer le secteur des agences de régulation et améliorer la transparence du marché. En bref, une réglementation “qui protège les investisseurs et les consommateurs”.”

“What economy is he talking about ? I think he [McCain] does not get it.” He (Obama) wishes to reinforce the authority of a regulating agency, restructure the sector of regulating agencies and improve market transparency. In short, regulation that protects “investors and consumers”

Martin Even from Belgium notes that the economic crisis does not affect only the US. He writes in Jeune Afrique:

“Au Capitole, le sénateur de l’Illinois vient de parrainer et de faire voter, dans l’indifférence quasi totale des médias, le Global Poverty Act, qui engage les États-Unis à participer aux Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement adoptés par l’ONU en 2001.”

On Capitol Hill, amidst the complete indifference of mainstream media, the senator from Illinois supported and pushed to pass the Global Poverty Act, which commits the United States to participate in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) proposed in 2001 by the UN.

A recurrent theme among the “France for McCain” blogs is the need to counterbalance what they perceive as an unfounded, superficial “Obamadulation”.

Rachid Kaci, UMP (French  Ruling Party) executive adviser and president of “Droite Libre” explains why John McCain is the president America needs:

“Si les Etats-Unis venait à céder une once de sa force et de sa détermination à lutter contre les nouveaux totalitarismes alors nous sombrerons dans le chaos le plus total… Barak Obama et sa volonté d’être perçu comme le réconciliateur absolu, le trait d’union entre les peuples et les religions apparaitra aux yeux des fascistes de tout poil comme un faible, à l’image de ce que représentait un président comme Jimmy Carter dont le bilan présidentiel a fait de l’Amérique la risée de tous les dictateurs au début des années 80.”

Were the US to yield a bit of its power and its determination to fight a new totalitarian regime, then we will all surely sink into absolute chaos… Barack Obama and his willingness to be seen as the absolute unifier, the bridge between different people and different religions will be a sign of weakness for the fascists everywhere, the same way Jimmy Carter was perceived in the 80's and whose presidential mandate was ridiculed by dictators all over the world.

He adds:

“Personne n’aura à se réjouir d’une Amérique affaiblie, surtout pas la France [..] les soutiens dont il bénéficie ici en France trouvent trop souvent leur raison dans l’origine ethnique du personnage et non dans son programme politique..”

No one would benefit from a weakened America, especially not France [..] The support he (Obama) gets here in France, too often originates from his ethnic background and not his political program.

Luc Gaubert, member of the France for John McCain committee, argues that there is a cultural warfare against western civilization and that John McCain's biography indicates that he is the right man to defend it:

” Aujourd'hui, face à un candidat démocrate trés jeune, inexpérimenté, idolâtré, il représente une valeur sûre, rassurante d'un homme capable de prendre des décisions difficiles, alors que la sécurité du monde libre peut être facilement menacée, son livre de chevet étant “Grandeur et Décadence de l'Empire Romain”, livre qu'il a pu lire plusieurs fois.
Son élection ne concerne donc pas seulement le peuple américain, mais tout démocrate qui pense que notre civilisation occidentale est menacée et que les théocraties qui la supplanteraient ne seraient pas idéales pour l'ensemble de nos contemporains. “

“On a le droit de dire « je rêve de tuer Obama et voilà comment je m’y prendrais », mais tant qu’il n’y a pas le moindre commencement de mise en pratique, tout cela relève de la liberté d’expression”.

One is allowed to say “I dream of killing Obama and this is how I will do it” but until there are not concrete action initiated towards that goal, it all comes down to freedom of expression.

Guillemette Faure of rue89 is also amazed at how freely people of various opinions are expressing themselves at the convention and how tolerant the attendees are of people with different ideologies:

“Cette faculté de la société américaine à laisser s’exprimer les adversaires est toujours étonnante. On s’en fait encore une idée à l’extérieur de la convention où des groupes anti-avortement portent d’immenses photos de foetus sanguinolents et traitent Obama de » tueur de bébés » (parce qu’il défend le droit à l’avortement). Chacun passe devant eux sans leur dire quoi que ce soit…”

The ability of the American society to let their opponents express themselves is always amazing. One telling picture is the fact that outside the convention, anti-abortion groups carry large photos of bloody foetuses and call Obama a “baby-killer” (because he is pro-choice). Everyone walks by without saying a word..

François Clemenceau points out to a second wrinkle of these elections that is unique to the US. He wonders why traditionally red states (Kansas, West Virginia, Arkansas, Colorado, Caroline du Nord, Tennessee, Wyoming, Kentucky) have elected democrats as governors. He explains:

“Il semble juste que ces Etats du Sud et du Grand Ouest font la distinction entre des gouvernements de proximité, où l’on peut programmer des politiques assez centristes et de bon sens, et l’Etat fédéral à la tête duquel on cherche à placer quelqu’un qui « incarne » l’Amérique.”

“It seems that the Southern and Southwestern states make the distinction between local state governors, who can implement political strategies that are fairly moderate and based on common sense whereas for the country as a whole, they are looking for someone who embodies “America”.

The final characteristic that seems to have stood out to European bloggers at the convention is thirst for the melodramatic speeches and the hollywood-like atmosphere of a political meeting:

“Ce n’est pas de donner dans le mélo qui est critiquable, c’est l’ambivalence qui consiste à jouer Cendrillon sur la scène et Machiavel en coulisses. Les américains savent qu’on ne gouverne pas avec des bons sentiments. Ils veulent des hommes « strong ou tough » pour diriger leur pays.”

The melodramatic speeches are not to be condemned, it's the ambivalence of being Cinderella-like on the surface and then Machiavelli in the background. Americans know countries should not be governed by good sentiments. They want people who are “strong/ tough” to lead their country.

After President Clinton's endorsement of Obama, Guillemette Faure notes that 16 years earlier, Bill Clinton made his supporters at the convention repeat in unison “we can do it”, reminiscent of the ubiquitous “yes we can” Obama slogan.

In his review, Schwab highlights the effectiveness of the video clips produced by the McCain campaign that frames Obama as a “celebrity not fit to lead” and his “cult-like” following.

Schwab also notes that this strategy of ridiculing Obama as a celebrity is the central theme of Jerome Corsi's book on what he calls “the Obama Nation”. This is the same Corsi, Schwab notes, who penned the pamphlet, “Unfit for Command” that successfully questioned John Kerry's military past in the 2004 elections in what is known as the “swift boat”strategy.

He adds:

“Il faudra néanmoins rester très vigilant jusqu'au bout dans ce genre de “basse campagne” et les trois débats télévisés officiels à venir auront toute leur importance pour corriger certains tirs et redresser certaines vérités. Car la campagne de John McCain a rappelé dans ses rangs un certain Steve Schmidt, artisan des campagnes victorieuses de Bush et Cheney en 2000 et 2004, mais aussi celle d'Arnold Schwarzenegger en 2006 pour sa réélection comme gouverneur de Californie. Ce redoutable directeur opérationnel est notamment le concepteur des deux clips républicains de l'été, “Celebrity” et “The One”, fustigeant le côté star et messie d'Obama.”

One has to be very mindful of this kind of “low class campaign” happening until the end of the elections. The three official televised debates to come will be critical to rectify some errors and correct a few distortions. Indeed, the McCain campaign welcomes into its ranks a certain Steve Schmidt, main contributor to the the successful Bush/Cheney campaign of 00 and 04 but also Arnold Schwarzenegger's for his reelection in 06 as the governor of California. This remarkable director of operations is notably the creator of the concepts behind the two Republican advertisements of the summer, “Celebrity” and “The One”, deriding Obama as a star and a messiah.

However, another European blogger, Julien Landfried posting at Ilovepolitics, points out the smear politics and accusation of elitism might be backfiring for McCain:

“le clip réalisé par Brave New Films ci-dessous démontre bien à quel point McCain est mal placé pour faire du “populisme”. Avec une dizaine de propriétés à son patrimoine (estimé à au moins 35 millions de dollars), sa vie est dans doute éloignée de celle d'un Américain ordinaire, en particulier à l'ère de la crise des subprimes…”

This video clip produced by Brave New Films demonstrates that McCain may not be the best person to “act as one of the common people”. Owning a dozen of real estate properties (estimated at at least $35 millions USD), his life is as far removed from the lives of regular American people as it gets, especially in this era of subprime crisis…