Column: Move over Hasselhoff
Aug. 26, 2008
Summer is over and school is back in full swing. I'm sure all of my fellow Tigers had awesome and memorable summers and I welcome all the new Tigers prowlin' on campus. I had the fortunate opportunity to study politics in Germany with students from more than 25 different countries and €500 never bought me so much great-tasting German beer.
While I was inebriating myself with my new international buddies in Deutschland, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama made a historic trip to Berlin. Now, I can tell you, Germans have an obsession with Barack Obama that rivals that of David Hasselhoff. The week preceding his now famous speech at the Tiergarten, Obama was all the rave. He was on every magazine cover, the headlines of every newspaper, broadcasted on every news show, and the subject of conversations all over der Vaterland. If Obama loses our country's election, I think he could easily become the leader of many others.
What is this international obsession with Barack Obama? While I was in Germany, Republican presidential nominee John McCain was barely mentioned. Many Germans had no idea who he was, or if they did, the referred to him has the "old white guy." On a side note, I should mention that most Europeans have a better understanding of American politics than most Americans. So why do Europeans love an American politician whose name hardly anyone knew four years ago?
The reason for this international admiration is that he represents change. I know that many critics say that "change" is an open-ended, empty promise but I disagree. After eight years of the failed policies of the Bush administration any change would be good. Obama has proven his leadership abilities by his rise from obscurity to commanding one of the most effective campaigns the country has ever seen in a few short years. As the son of a Kenyan farmer and a mother from the heartland of America, Obama represents the American dream that the world can relate to. Electing Obama as our president sends a much-needed message to the world that America has risen above bigotry and that we want to be partners in the international community, not a hegemonic superpower.
I was talking to a friend from Latvia, a newly integrated European Union country that once was under Soviet control. He said something to me that changed my idea of how other countries view America: "I feel that since the American president is the leader of the free world that I, as a citizen of the free world, should be able to vote for the American president." Let me say, that if Europeans could vote in our country, Obama would be our next president guaranteed.
I am not saying that we Americans should cater to European desires and vote for Obama. We are Americans, and we will vote for what is best for America. However, since Europe is our biggest ally, a brother under democracy, we should definitely take into consideration Europe's brotherly advice. In an increasingly globalizing world, we can no longer think of what is best only for America, but what is best for the world.
Editor's Note: Trevor Turner is a member of the MU College Democrats.
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