The American presidential elections receive excellent coverage in the Russian media. While Russian journalists rarely offer commentary about the U.S. candidates, straight news reporting of the American presidential campaign is done in exhaustive, overwhelming detail. Not to be outdone, Russia Blog just completed its own humble, non-scientific poll. The goal? Determine which U.S. presidential candidate Russians prefer as the next occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
After presenting the question to nearly 50 Russians, the answer is clear: one hundred percent of our not-so-random sampling said Senator Barack Obama is their first choice. Huh? Up is down and down is up, at least if you believe conventional wisdom. Why would the Russians, stereotypically considered to be a racist and conservative nation, pick Senator Obama—the first viable black U.S. presidential candidate, and the one who many Americans agree breaks the traditional U.S. presidential mold on many levels?
Star power - a recent cover of Time magazine featuring Senator Obama
The reasons are varied. Some of Russia Blog’s Russian friends have had great experiences in the U.S., and they genuinely believe that the first-term junior senator from Illinois is a leader who is capable of bringing positive change to America. They like Mr. Obama’s goal of withdrawing the troops from Iraq and agree with his health care and education policies. Other Russians are more concerned about Russia, and don’t like the anti-Putin rhetoric of Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton. (It is important to remember that Vladimir Putin still enjoys nearly 80 percent approval rating, and most Russians view themselves as enjoying more freedom and wealth today than ever before in their country’s thousand-year history.) John McCain’s “I looked into his eyes, and I saw K-G-B,” or Hillary Clinton’s “Putin has no soul” aren’t helpful and don’t play well with Russians who think seriously about the future of the U.S.-Russia relationship.
Mr. Obama is popular for other reasons that have nothing to do with avoiding (purposely or not) negative rhetoric about Russia. He is young, and modern Russia likes young politicians. The most popular Russian presidential candidate, Dmitry Medvedev, is only 42 years old. Mr. Medvedev is also the most liberal of all the popular candidates and is associated with change—not with the former intelligence service and military associates of Vladimir Putin.
Follow the money. Russians have been keeping their savings in U.S. currency for over a decade. When the Euro became stronger than the dollar some Russian families switched to either the European currency or the Russian ruble. However, there still are many families that would like to see the return of the strong dollar. Some Russians believe that America’s aggressive foreign policy, negative image abroad, and high military spending contributed to the weakening of the dollar. Whether there is a defensible correlation or not, even if Mr. Obama spends more federal budget money on healthcare and education, the Russians in our informal poll hope that withdrawal from Iraq and increased “friendliness” of the United States abroad will help to strengthen the U.S. currency.
Finally, don’t underestimate the Russian love of image. They admire good public speakers. They embrace humor. President Putin has been funny and straightforward (as his “needs a head” quote about Hillary Clinton showed last week). It’s fair to say that America and the world have not seen a young American president who was a talented speaker since President John Kennedy’s presidency. Mr. Obama is definitely a talented orator. He looks sharp, he dresses sharp, and he works hard. All of the above might have nothing to do with the performance of a future president, but how many voters really read policy reports and papers? Not that many. Russians are known for putting a strong emphasis on style and looks. Bill Clinton might have not been good for Russia’s foreign policy (particularly in Kosovo), but many Russians liked him.
Senator Barack Obama is an African-American and he is a liberal. From the surface and at a policy-level, he is everything Russians stereotypically shouldn’t like. But the Russians in our poll love him. America’s chattering classes are calling 2008 one of the strangest and most unpredictable U.S. presidential elections in recent memory. And Russians—surprisingly astute observers of the American political scene—are proving that when it comes to reading the political tea leaves, some of those old stereotypes might be as unreliable as they are unnecessary.
Comments
I dont think Russians should think so warmly of Obama as his senior advisors are the most hate filled anti-russian people in US politics especially Polish-American Zbignew Brezinski and Mr coloured revolution George Soros. Obamas own writings for CFR talk of a foriegn policy to target potential threat of Russia and China and Brezinski 1998 book The Grand Chessboard basically said Russia is a number 1 threat and should be split in 3 as well as being director of anti Russian lobby groups like ACPC.
Posted by: james | February 21, 2008 2:57 AM
Well will wonders never cease@ Muslims for Obama 2008, Russians for Obama, Africans for Obama...hummm seems like maybe other countries have more of a want than we do you go figure.
Posted by: cnc | February 25, 2008 6:05 PM
This is a great article, which we've linked to. The message you report in Russia is the same one we're hearing all over the world. In polls in Japan, Germany, Iraq, Brazil, South Africa, Britain... the result is always the same - a significant majority prefer Obama. www.theworldwantsobama.org
Posted by: The World Wants Obama | March 12, 2008 3:39 AM
You are right Senator Obama is the future, compared to the other senators stick to the old political rhetoric of the past.
He is a Christian guy, who has the best intentions for the world.
Unlike the others,which are war monger's or flip-floppers(like hillary)
Posted by: PEACE 4 ALL | March 25, 2008 7:56 PM
... guy, who has the best intentions for the world.
Unlike the others,which are war monger's ..
Lenin had best intentions for the World
Stalin Had best intentions for the World.
Mao had best intentions for the World.
Chaimberland had best intentions for the World.
Castro had best intentions for the World
Mugabe had best intentions for the World.
Churchill was a war monger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Uneducated!
Naiive!
Ignorant
That's haw you will find your death indeed.:((
Posted by: Trotsky? | June 22, 2008 8:10 AM
Check out these pretty interesting Barack Obama MOTIVATIONAL POSTERS ~ like Obama, this is strictly for your amusement:
http://motivationalpostersonline.blogspot.com/2008/06/barack-obama.html
Posted by: Slappy | July 19, 2008 7:42 PM
I am a Russian emigre and also an Obama supporter. I am also proud owner of two York terriers. Recently I saw the story about how pet owners plan voting for McCain not Obama. Well, I'm not one of those people! And I found a fun site for Russians for Obama--which I discovered looking for stuff for my dogs. The site is called www.barkobama2008.com. I thought if people like me are want to support Obama and have dog, they might want to know. With respect. EM.
Posted by: Elena Monova | August 3, 2008 12:55 PM
Hmmmm, the Russians like Obama, the French like Obama, the Muslims like Obama, in fact all the Liberals in the world like Obama. I guess REAL Americans should bend over and kiss our xxx goodbye!
Posted by: Doug MacDonald | September 24, 2008 10:38 PM
i thought russia and america stopped fighting around 1990! i remember being scared of nuclear war in the 1980s as a little kid. lets not do that again. why wouldnt russia and america join an alliance anyway. it doesnt make sense not to.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 5, 2008 12:15 AM
To those mislead Russians who believe that Obama will follow a different path than either Bush or McCain look for yourself:
http://www.mediamonitors.net/khodr49.html
You have fantastic leadership in Russia with Medvedev and Putin and you need to listen to the truth. Be very proud that you have very good representation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6TgEx8rnO8
Posted by: Bruce | November 5, 2008 2:01 AM
Very understandable why russians like Obama....Everybody who hates America likes Obama:-)...Only american voters didn't get it at time. Shame on America!
Posted by: Ellen | November 5, 2008 4:36 PM
Russians are not for Obama, they are against of McCain.
Posted by: e | November 9, 2008 12:41 AM
The Russians and Muslim extremists both see Obama as a weak inexperienced leader and an opportunity for military advancement. That is why they like him. They liked Carter too. Russia's aggression in Georgia and new missile system are responses to the weak naive "leader" they see in Obama. Get a grip liberals. The media keeps celebrating him, and won't bring this up because they are liberal idiots too.
Posted by: markb | November 9, 2008 5:15 AM
Hey, stop talking in the name of the whole Russia. I'm Russian and I don't support Obama. I don't support any president of the USA till this country wants to nuke my country. And I honestly don't understand why the whole world is supposed to like him if he hadn't done anything yet. Just for the colour of his skin? And so what? Russia didn't bring the black slaves from Africa, so we don't need to cry because of the fact that the black man became a president. Take a look at the Africa, all African countries've got presidents with black skin, but why we are not tought by that fact? Let's wait for a couple of years and we'll see who he really is. So far it is pretty early to come to any conclusion.
Posted by: Russian_Bear | November 10, 2008 11:40 AM
Not even a week after the president election the blond topblogger from Sweden, Linda Ekholm speaks out loud about Obama!
And I really believe this is truly written by heart. Scary!
http://www.finest.se/userBlog/?uid=30701&beid=1040511
Posted by: ThereseJDanielsson | November 10, 2008 7:35 PM
Russian_Bear do you suppose Russia will ever have a black President????
I rest my case on your ignorance!!!
Racism and hatred alone are sins and I don't care who or what you believe in but you will respect my country and my President Obama!!
Oh and I bet you don't like Alexander Pushkin neither, huh!!
Posted by: Jackee | January 7, 2009 1:03 AM
learn history of coutries
and then make choice...
Posted by: madness | January 20, 2009 3:57 AM