Presidential elections will take place in Russia in early March and in the United States in early November. But to judge by the news on Russian television channels, everything looks to be the other way around. The keen debate between Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is there for all to see. A black man against a white woman has been a traditional choice for America in recent decades. The New Hampshire primaries were marked by results that overturned pollsters' predictions.
Both candidates advocate change. "Change is what our hearts demand!" Viktor Tsoy sang 20 years ago in our country. And that was the predominant mood in society. "We cannot go on living like this!" the movie director Stanislav Govorokhin echoed. And the Soviet Union ceased to exist. As if it had never been. Without tears or regrets. Everybody in the Supreme Soviet voted for a new Russia -- Reds, liberals, worker, collective farmer, Russian, and Jew. Such were the times.
And the politicians sensed the mood of the masses.The Democrats in America feel that they can sense the mood of their people -- for change! And images of children and young people go very well with change. So Clinton and Obama surround themselves with young people, instilling subconscious stereotypes: Young people (and thus the future) are for the person in question. The Republicans are not lagging behind either. Former Governor of Arkansas Michael Huckabee won unexpectedly in Iowa, but Senator John McCain, a
veteran authority in the ranks of the Republicans, surged ahead in New Hampshire. He is
the only one who consistently supports the war in Iraq and criticizes President Bush for making half-hearted military decisions and undermanning the American contingent. This stance is attractive to Americans: This man does not vacillate -- he always says the same thing. And in the process he does not depict himself as politically correct. What is needed is bombs!
The scale of the months-long campaign for the post in the White House is impressive. For a year already (!) -- and there are still 10 months to go -- there have been daily debates, ongoing polemics, and exchanges of recriminations and statements between the candidates and their supporters. And it does not occur to anybody to say: The people are tired of all this. How can a people get tired of choosing the best regime for themselves? Surely this is not boring? Surely they would not prefer to watch the American equivalent of Anshlag (highly popular Russian TV comedy) instead of the Clinton-Obama duel? Quite so, according to the TV and radio channel ratings.
Americans spend two years fighting for a seat that they can occupy for only four years. And nobody says that this is an irrational waste of effort and money, that you cannot change anything in four years, that the presidential term should be increased to seven years. It appears that it is precisely because the candidates spend two years arguing under fire their substantive stance on key areas of reform that four years is sufficient to implement change. The degree to which problems are worked through is very great.
The candidates have a command of the details and nuances of the features of the implementation of their own projects. Our presidential campaign has officially not
begun. Dmitriy Medvedev has not spent a single ruble of his campaign fund. Yet he is on TV every day here as first vice premier. He speaks more frequently than the president and the premier. Other candidates are invisible -- no debates, polemics, recriminations, accusations, promises, or statements. Are they being kind to voters weary as a result of the Duma campaign? Although is it so hard to look, listen, and get to the heart of what candidates for power have said?
The only thing in common between presidential elections in Russia and America is their name. In all other respects and they have nothing in common. It is striking that, despite such differences, the final result will be similar -- both countries will acquire new heads of state. Admittedly there is one substantial difference: We know the name of the future president of Russia, whereas the Americans do not. And they will not know until the very last moment, until the very last vote has been counted.
Such is that country, such is democracy. But we are a different country. And a totally different democracy. Because we call ourselves Russia, and they call themselves America. And that is the entire difference.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
