If Only ...

I wear my round Obama button on my right like a name badge. I hope, and truly believe, it won’t go the way of mine for Gore, Kerry and Hillary. So far, reactions from people abroad, from inside the airport in Paris to inside Jumbo have been overwhelmingly positive. “Who’s going to win?” the croissant maker asked at Orly last Monday afternoon. “I sure hope it’s Obama,” I said. With that he winked and gave me an extra pain au chocolate in my airplane bag-to-go.

“We really should be allowed to vote ,” a Portuguese woman told me at the fish counter recently. “Your election affects the whole world.” In fact 95% of foreigners I’ve spoken to reflect the same sentiment. If only the whole world could vote.

Of course we know they can’t. That’s why I’ve devoted all my recent efforts to helping register voters (non-partisan, of course.) Last Sunday evening a seasoned Tap flight attendant came to my home to register. She was born in Florida, but grew up in Portugal. Still, her US passport gives her the right to vote. “I’ve never voted before,” she told me. “But this time I have to.” If, by now, you aren’t registered to vote, there’s still time, but not much. Go to VotefromAbroad.org  to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. Then, if you’re registered and still haven’t received your ballot by mid-October, go to http://www.fvap ( Federal Voting Assistance Program), download and complete the Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. However
You may use this ballot ONLY if you have already requested an absentee ballot, but it has not yet arrived. Of course, the all important caveat: you have to be a US citizen to vote.

I stayed up well into early Saturday morning last week to watch to the first Obama.-McCain debate. (I won’t reprint here my friend Stuart’s pseudonyms for Senator McCain.) Obama came across as focused, unflappable and capable. McCain, less so. It’s phenomenal that a 72-year old man can withstand the demands of campaigning much less what the Presidency would entail. Which leads me to the next fright of his campaign: his Vice-Presidential selection. Wherever he dredged up Sarah Palin from, I can’t imagine. I’ll defer to the words of the erudite political, cultural and social NY Times columnist, Bob Herbert.

The United States has been lucky in terms of the qualifications of the vice presidents who have had to step in over the last several decades for presidents who either died or, in Richard Nixon’s case, were forced to leave office. Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson became extraordinary presidents in their own right. Gerald Ford successfully guided the nation through the immediate aftermath of one of the most traumatic political crises in its history.

For those who think Sarah Palin is in that league, there is no problem. But her unscripted public appearances would lead most honest observers to think otherwise. When asked again this week about her puerile linkage of foreign policy proficiency and Alaska’s proximity to Russia…, here is what Ms. Palin said she meant:

“That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land — boundary that we have with — Canada.”

She went on, but lost her way midsentence: “It’s funny that a comment like that was kind of made to — cari — I don’t know, you know? Reporters ...”

It is not just painful, but frightening to watch someone who could become the vice president of the United States stumbling around like this in an interview. The press has an obligation to hammer away at Ms. Palin’s qualifications. If it turns out that she has just had a few bad interviews because she was nervous or whatever, additional scrutiny will serve her well. If, on the other hand, it becomes clear that her performance, so far, is an accurate reflection of her qualifications, it would behoove John McCain and the Republican Party to put the country first — as Mr. McCain loves to say — and find a replacement for Ms. Palin on the ticket.

I’ve taught seventh graders for over 20 years. The majority of my students speak more articulately, intelligently and lucidly than Ms. Palin. I’m certain she fits the radical right’s profile and was selected to garner their votes. But for the rest of the world, we’d have a calamity if she ever had to serve as top polar bear.

I lament that I’ll miss the rest of the debates and what promises to be a heated month ahead. We’re going to China and Tibet for the month. I’m curious about the extent of news coverage on that side of the world. Will CNN China tell all, or will we receive abbreviated broadcasts? And what about the Internet? Before I booked the trip, I made certain I’d be back in time for November 4. And on the way to the airport, I’ll place my Official Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot in the mail with “ Obama/ Biden ” written legibly ( that’s important) and proudly under the column for President/Vice President. If only they’ll count my vote…

Patricia Westheimer.

Patricia’s column will return on November 6.