Obama’s problem

July 22, 2008  --  Got something to say?
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Filipino Americans in the greater Washington D.C. area are watching whether or not the rabid supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton would switch their allegiance to Sen. Barack Obama, the victor in the Democratic presidential race. Would they campaign just as enthusiastically for him as they had for Hillary in the past? Will they listen to Hillary when she asked them to support Obama?
Many of Hillary’s followers are still smarting from the loss of their candidate and are threatening to vote for Republican candidate John McCain or to stay at home. They believe she could have been a more formidable candidate against McCain. While many believe in Obama’s message of change, they have lingering doubts if America is ready to make a historic move by electing a black as president.
In the McCain camp, there is also disappointment in the ranks of those who wanted Mitt Romney or the other bets to be the GOP candidate. Many have said they would rather stay home than vote.
While the Obama camp is wooing them to its side, the McCain camp is similarly courting the diehard Hillarians.
Some Filipino and Asian Americans are ready to heed Hillary’s call. They say the alternative would be four more years of the failed Bush policies.
In recent weeks, Obama has been issuing a flurry of press releases, including greeting the Filipinos on the occasion of their independence day, another one citing the historic ties between the two countries and a phone call to visiting President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who wanted to meet him.
If Obama seems to be conversant with Philippine-US relations, it’s because one of his newest campaign aide is a Filipino American. Her name is Charmaine Manansala, a former campaigner for Hillary and aide to Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
The stakes in the November election are high. The results will affect most Americans who are now suffering from the recession and the housing collapse. For many Filipinos and Asian Americans, the American dream is being shattered by the economic slowdown. The choice is now between continuing eight years of Bush or something akin to it or an election of an untried and untested candidate who may yet make history by breaking the racial barrier.


Posted by News Team | Filed Under Editorial 

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