Barack Obama has shown the character, intelligence and judgment to be president, said The Times in an editorial yesterday. Excerpts:
It is for the American people to choose the next president of the United States. Anyone who is not a citizen should proffer advice on the question only with the greatest humility and tact. The price paid in money or in blood for the decisions of the president falls mainly, even if not exclusively, on Americans. And the nuances of political discussion, so important in selecting leaders, are often hard for outsiders to grasp.
Yet it would be naive to think that readers of a British newspaper have no stake in the outcome of the contest between Barack Obama and John McCain. The rise of Barack Obama seemed supremely unlikely a year ago. It was not just the formidable Clinton machine that stood in his way. It was also history. Only 50 years ago, across the South, it was impossible for an African-American to eat at a lunch counter, attend college or vote alongside white Americans. So race cannot be ignored in this election, even by those who do not live in America. Both charisma and novelty can take a candidate so far. But Obama has needed much more, and the more he has needed speaks well of him as a potential president.Sen. John McCain is an authentic hero. He has also been a brave politician. His moment, however, has gone. His campaign has failed to inspire and his eccentric choice of a running-mate was irresponsible.
Americans still have many questions about Obama. This election is not over. But The Times, reflecting upon an American choice, hopes that the outcome will be an Obama victory.
