Obama Unsettled

Barack Obama could not have hoped for a better campaign. As strong in his foreign policy agenda as on domestic issues such as the economic crisis, his path to the White House almost seemed set. Conscious of the persistent racist undertones remaining in his country, he almost even managed to make us forget he is black.

On top of this, his opponent, McCain, who tries his darnedest to walk the campaign trail without tripping, has littered his path with mistakes. First he declared that Iraq and Pakistan had a common border. Then, he affirmed that Al Qaida’s presence in the Anbar province had been eradicated, thanks to the surge; which is false. He was also convinced that the conflict in Iraq was the only and most important one to have occurred since 9/11, thereby omitting the war in Afghanistan.

Losing the PR battle and constantly having to defend themselves, realizing that McCain’s politics only remind us of Bush’s, the Republicans have decided to attack their rival upfront, and to question his credibility. They have fallen back on old campaign strategies which use negative attacks on the Democratic candidate. The last of these is an advertisement where “superstar” Obama is compared to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. This is a daring smear. After a successful international tour, where more than two hundred thousand people went to listen to him in Berlin, and during which his strategy for Iraq gained much credibility, such a comparison is laughable and should not be worth our time.

But in reality there is nothing funny about McCain’s approach, who, long before Obama, claimed to be an honest politician, wanting to change politics in Washington. If he is willing to pursue this strategy, this is because it works. It manages to spread doubt, and more than that, it confirms the fears of voters who do not have the time or interest to check the facts.

In Colorado, whose poll results have long been considered a national barometer, the Republican ream has literally been bombarding the airwaves. Polls there, which three weeks ago favored Obama by 4 to 6 points, today see him losing by 4. This is still in the margin of error, but these numbers are clear indicators of McCain’s effect.

The Republican party today broadcasts four ads circulating controversial and even false ideas: that Obama would rather lose the Iraq war by removing troops too quickly, that he is responsible for the rise of gas prices, that he has time to play basketball but not to meet with wounded soldiers, and lastly, that he is an arrogant star with no substance to him. These messages question both his patriotism and his sense of priorities, reinforcing an image of him as elitist and disconnected from the peoples’ hardships.

Controversial and false claims, but they strike a sensitive cord. While Obama strolled through Europe, workers in the oil and natural gas industries here in Colorado applauded Bush’s decision – supported by McCain – to begin exploiting the many oil wells available throughout the state again. In an economy in the middle of a recession, the creation of new jobs is very welcome. And, in a part of the country where cars are the main mode of transportation, the proposition by the Republican candidate for a gas tax holiday during the summer was approved: such a concession would allow people to save $50 per month on average. Obama opposed both of these strategies.

Finally, Obama sees Afghanistan as a conflict we must end, and will redeploy troops from Iraq to this country. This decision has many people worried. The Iraq war has already cost the U.S. a lot, both economically and in terms of lives. Does the country have the means to entrench itself any more in a guerrilla war? How many years would it take to come out victorious from a war against terrorism; is it even possible?

McCain’s campaign is outrageous because it propagates lies. But these messages unfailingly reach the electorate which continues to question Obama, his values and his politics.