We have been out of touch on a junk cruising Halong Bay for the last couple of days. Just because we didn’t know the results of the election doesn’t mean that we weren’t answering questions about the campaigns, the candidates, the electoral college, and even how we voted. Most Americans don’t appreciate how the rest of the world watches our elections and is affected by our vote. We have been approached by Danes, Swedes, Germans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, and even Slovenes. Nearly everyone, except the Vietnamese, is concerned and seems to have a stake in the outcome.
The Danes told us a recent poll there was 9:1 for Obama and the Germans feel much the same. Everyone agrees that the world will be a much better place when George W. is unemployed. And there is a concern that some neo-Nazi whacko will do something really stupid.
Now that we are back in Hanoi and can watch CNN International we know that Barack Obama will be our new President. As one friend emailed me, “It’s way too early to be happy … but ohmagawd, it is way past the time to be relieved!” Still it is difficult to be in Hanoi and not think about John McCain, the time he spent in this city and his sacrifices for the country he loves. After eight years of “W” it was refreshing to have had so many truly qualified candidates from both parties. Only time will tell if we made the right choice for the country – and the world.
