A November to remember!

Watching a great drama unfold from the sidelines for someone with limited knowledge but keen interest has its share of pluses and minuses. The lack of knowledge is often overshadowed by the ability to see the things without the prejudice of history and to identify the grey in a sea of black and white.

As an alien in the Promised Land, the Presidential elections slated this November provide me with all the ingredients of a great drama and I have been fortunate enough to witness many of its twists and turns.

The preceding winter was all about Hillary and Obama and how the winner of this contest would eventually find his/her way to the White House creating some kind of history along with it?
As the winter gave to spring and summer, this presidential race also changed its character for reasons sometimes beyond the control of those in it.

If this election were to be neatly wrapped up into bullets points I would present mine as:
1. What is this election about? Both the presidential candidates would be mistaken if they though the election was about them or the issues that they thought were important. The truth could be the farthest from it. If ever the election was for the common man, this one is. Talk to any American and the issue most close to his heart is the mess that the American economy finds itself in. Spiraling gas prices and job cuts are just the symptoms of something far more sinister. For the time-being Iraq can be put on the back-burner. National building exercise must be done at home first.

2. What each one is saying: This election was the seen by many as the clash of two diametrically opposite opponents, the clash of the old vs. the new. Sure enough both had their agendas and their plan of actions if elected to the white house. But it doesn’t matter anymore. The events of the past month have ensured that whoever is elected to the White House will have his hands full in undoing the damage done.

3. Do they really want the job? The White House is the seat of unbridled power and its occupant is arguably the world’s most powerful person. Who wouldn’t want the job? Both the candidates are on the verge of creating some kind of history if they make it to the White House. But surely they wouldn’t want to earn the dubious distinction of herding US deeper into trouble should things get out of hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if both the candidates have had second thoughts about the enormity of the task potentially ahead of them.

4. Battle of the vice presidents: Once the vice-presidential candidates were announced, they have in their own way managed to overshadow the presidential candidates and the election itself. Sarah Palin has managed to tilt the advantage in favor of the Democrats by displaying her evident lack of experience at this level. By nominating an inexperienced candidate like Palin, the Republicans have lost the moral right to attack Obama’s inexperience.

5. Who’s the winner? When America first went into election mode, it was all about Hillary and Obama. The analysts certain that the Republican regime would end soon; it seemed like a cake-walk for Obama once Hillary opted out. One sensed that the feeling of quiet optimism in the Obama camp gave way to one of overconfidence much earlier than required and somehow he couldn’t connect to the masses in the way that he had during the primaries. The central theme of Obama’s campaign has always been “Change”. Then came the realization that the anticipated depression in the US economy was already here and bigger than expected. In such times, I don’t know if the message of “Change” is the best possible one for Obama, not when he confronts a nation that yearns for things the way they always were-the time of $1 menus, fuel guzzlers, a strong dollar and jobs that stayed at home. But atleast he has a message but McCain sadly has none, not atleast that comes to my mind immediately.

Till some time back both were almost neck to neck. And many voters were undecided. Sarah Palin may have unknowingly helped many voters make up their minds, sadly against her party though.

One reckons it’s going to be Obama on 4th November but only just.