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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (536362)	2/6/2004 1:04:33 AM
From: Lizzie Tudor	Respond to of 769670

japanese paper commentary on the primaries: EDITORIAL: U.S. presidential election -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can John Kerry unite the `two Americas'? In the intensifying race for the Democratic presidential nomination in the United States, John Kerry, senator from Massachusetts, shot well ahead of his rivals Tuesday by sweeping five of the seven states that voted in primaries and caucuses. A liberal-leaning New Englander, Kerry was not initially seen as a strong contender amid growing conservatism among voters in post-9/11 America. But his impressive victory in the kickoff caucus in the state of Iowa lifted his standing dramatically, generating a groundswell of momentum behind him. With 20 years of service in the Senate under his belt, Kerry is a well-known political figure in the United States. His surprising plunge into the anti-war movement in the 1970s after returning home from Vietnam as a decorated war hero is also widely known among voters. As the Democratic contest has heated up, Kerry has successfully cast himself as a person with dignity and magnanimity. Some recent polls have shown that Kerry would beat President George W. Bush if the presidential election were held now. Driving Kerry's powerful advance is the growing expectation among Democrats that he could wrest power from the Republican president. The United States of today is often described as ``America Divided.'' That's not only because of the bitter legal battle between Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore over the controversial ballot counts in Florida four years ago, which produced painful divisive effects on the nation. Observers say the Bush administration's determined pursuit of policies strongly in favor of the arguments and interests of his principal constituencies, such as top executives of large businesses and conservative Christians, has created a deep chasm in the foundation of American society. In the ongoing Democratic race to become the anointed challenger to Bush in November, one major issue is how to unite the divided nation again. For many years following the ``Reagan Revolution'' in the 1980s, which redefined domestic priorities and retrenched federal programs to solve social problems, it was widely believed in political circles that winning the ticket to the White House required a centrist platform that could attract independent voters as well as both Republican and Democratic moderates. Former President Bill Clinton, who governed the country for the better part of the 1990s, epitomized such a middle-of-the-road political philosophy. But the divisions in the United States between the right and the left and between the rich and the poor have become too wide for this approach to work. That has changed the election dynamics radically. Fully aware of the situation, Kerry is fiercely attacking the Bush administration for its pro-business stances and special-interest politics. There is, however, a strong sense of crisis over this division among the people who are supporting Kerry as the most ``electable'' candidate. This may explain why Kerry is enjoying a strong following among voters with no party affiliation. A majority of Americans still support the war on terrorism, but they are beginning to have clearer ideas about the immense difficulties involved in dealing with the situation in Iraq. That is probably another important factor behind rising support for Kerry. While America has become deeply divided, the world has been seriously traumatized by the U.S.-led war against Iraq. With regard to U.S. policy toward Iraq, Kerry is pitching to the nation the idea of bold ``progressive internationalism,'' which places greater emphasis on cooperation with the United Nations in the reconstruction of the country. Europe must be closely watching the Democratic contest to see which candidate would most support the effort to mend soured U.S. relations. The race is far from over. But surging public support for a candidate who preaches national unity and calls for more efforts to close the schism between the ``two Americas'' could catalyze some significant changes in the Bush administration's policies. We would heartily welcome any shift in U.S. policy in this direction, no matter who is elected president in autumn. asahi.com