Should Foreign Leaders endorse a candidate for Prez?

[Zorro]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2713150/Gordon-Brown-backs-Barack-Obama-for-US-president.html

Gordon Brown backs Barack Obama for US president

Writing in an article in the Parliamentary Monitor magazine, Mr Brown said: "In the electrifying US presidential campaign, it is the Democrats who are generating the ideas to help people through more difficult times.


I'm not talking about the wacky dictator of some island endorsing, but should the PM of Britian choosing a side...?

Does it help or hurt Obama?

If McCain is elected does it hurt the relationship?

Does it even matter?

Personally I think the guy can do whatever he wants short of actually endorsing, but taking that leap is not good policy or politics.

[TheMojoPin]

It's only fair considering all the world leaders we've put in place through rigged elections, staged coups/revolts and assassinations over the years.

[Furtherman]

It doesn't matter to us, nor would I imagine it would bother either of the candidates.

It could be embarrassing for Brown on that first meeting with the President... and it's McCain.

[A.J.]

The Clinton War Room got Tony Blair elected.

[Thebazile78]

It's only fair considering all the world leaders we've put in place through rigged elections, staged coups/revolts and assassinations over the years.

But don't we like to think that we're above all that?

And doesn't the "native-born" stipulation for US Presidents in the Constitution have its roots in being free from foreign influences?

I'd like to know if someone who's on the fence about McCain or Obama even knows who Gordon Brown is ... and if they do, whether they care which candidate he favors.

What about Nicolas Sarkozy? Who does he like?

(Now I'm curious.)

[KatPw]

I don't think it really matters. To me, it is like a workplace on a global scale. There will always be heads of state that don't care for another head of state's policies, personality, etc. But regardless, if they are mature and rational (which seems to be becoming rarer and rarer these days), they will put aside those differences and deal with what needs to be dealt with. But I'm an idealist hippie, so what the fuck do I know.

[Kevin]

It's only fair considering all the world leaders we've put in place through rigged elections, staged coups/revolts and assassinations over the years.

(Southern Red state voice)

You shut your dang gone mouth. We never did such a thing. The United States of America is a fair and just nation of upstanding Christian men and women and we would never do such a thing. You take your unpatriotic, unAmerican mumbo junbo elsewhere.

Let me Guess, you grew up in New York City, didn't ya.

[DolaMight]

It doesn't matter to us, nor would I imagine it would bother either of the candidates.

It could be embarrassing for Brown on that first meeting with the President... and it's McCain.

Yeah there's no payoff in doing so. If you endorse it delivers no votes to the endorsed candidate and if the opponent wins you suffer bad relations. The risk far outweighs the reward.

[Thebazile78]

I don't think it really matters. To me, it is like a workplace on a global scale. There will always be heads of state that don't care for another head of state's policies, personality, etc. But regardless, if they are mature and rational (which seems to be becoming rarer and rarer these days), they will put aside those differences and deal with what needs to be dealt with. But I'm an idealist hippie, so what the fuck do I know.

You know more than you're giving yourself credit for.

You know what's important to you, so that's how you'll vote.

The issue raised in this thread, I think, is, ultimately, does "endorsement" from a foreign PM, president or other head of state help or hurt the candidate who is being endorsed.

In the case of John Kerry four years ago, aside from the fact that he made many of his core constituents sick, his endorsements from world leaders hurt him a bit because the outcry was "influence of foreign powers" ... something the Constitution was carefully constructed to prevent.

Personally, I don't think it matters, unless a candidate is endorsed by a PM or president of a country with whom the US is at odds ... like if Kim Jong-Il or Robert Mugabe or Vladimir Putin or the lunatic who's in charge in Iran endorsed Hillary Clinton, someone on the fence might take another look at her opposition and vote that way.

Or, maybe I just think a bit more about elections than my peers.

[Fezticle98]

But don't we like to think that we're above all that?

And doesn't the "native-born" stipulation for US Presidents in the Constitution have its roots in being free from foreign influences?

I'd like to know if someone who's on the fence about McCain or Obama even knows who Gordon Brown is ... and if they do, whether they care which candidate he favors.

What about Nicolas Sarkozy? Who does he like?

(Now I'm curious.)

I'd guess that Sarkozy would prefer McCain.

[NewYorkDragons80]

It's only fair considering all the world leaders we've put in place through rigged elections, staged coups/revolts and assassinations over the years.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0aN5aUX9wvcMd/610x.jpg

I got this country fair and square!



I feel people like Brown are well within their rights to endorse other candidates, but they do so at their own peril. I bet McCain picks up more than a few votes every time these guys get into our business.

[yojimbo7248]

Stephen Harper and future Canadian Prime Ministers should have a permanent vote in the electoral college...hell, I'll dream big, they should have veto power. it would only be fair in counter balancing the ridiculous amount of power the US has over Canada without anything in exchange.

[cougarjake13]

yeh i dont see the advantage of endorsing one or other and then they dont get in


very awkward situation indeed

[CousinDave]

Sure why not.

Its not like the US doesn't meddle in the affairs of other countries.

Just keep in mind any foreigners are going to think what's in their best interest and not in that of the US.

[NewYorkDragons80]

Stephen Harper and future Canadian Prime Ministers should have a permanent vote in the electoral college...hell, I'll dream big, they should have veto power. it would only be fair in counter balancing the ridiculous amount of power the US has over Canada without anything in exchange.
Biggest trading partner. Practically non-existent defense budget. There's what they get in exchange.

[PapaBear]

What does it matter if they do or not? It's not like we should be telling other countries not to express their opinion. As for the leaders themselves, it could hurt them, if the candidate they didn't endorse ends up winning.

I think in most cases, when someone bitches about a foreign leader endorsing a candidate, it's because they endorsed the one they don't want.

[DolaMight]

Example of repercussions of making a foreign endorsement.

For months Gordon Brown has been going to painstaking lengths to avoid the greatest mistake a foreign leader can make during a US presidential election: to show the slightest hint of favouritism to one candidate.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/11/gordonbrown.foreignpolicy

[Knowledged_one]

Biggest trading partner. Practically non-existent defense budget. There's what they get in exchange.

well that and teh fact we dont just take them over as america north

[epo]

Non-issue.

[Recyclerz]

Ordinary British citizens tried this last time. Didn't work out as well as they had planned.

(And I got yelled at for bringing it up. :wink: )

http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42030

Edit: The link used to go to a Guardian UK site news story that talked about people in the UK that "adopted" Ohio voters and tried to convince them to not vote for W. Hilarity ensued from some of the saucy replies they got from the good ol' US of A. I'll try to find a working link to the story.

edit 2: Here's a working link to the American replies.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/oct/18/uselections2004.usa2

[GreatAmericanZero]

i think a foreign leader can say whatever they want. its there business, its there country, let them live with whatever they say

[yojimbo7248]

Non-issue.

I heard that Obama is for changing the Constitution so that the UN will choose our future presidents.

[epo]

I heard that Obama is for changing the Constitution so that the UN will choose our future presidents.

I heard that Muslim isn't wearing a lapel pin!

[scottinnj]

I don't think they should, just as much as we should remain "neutral" in elections we helped setup, like in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Iraq, the fruit of our labors were free elections, and even if we have a horse in the race, we should make it certain to the world and the Iraqi people they should vote their conscience and not worry what our opinion is of the results.

[scottinnj]

I heard that Obama is for changing the Constitution so that the UN will choose our future presidents.

I heard that Muslim isn't wearing a lapel pin!

I heard he wears lipstick and oinks.

Wait...what?