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Last update - 19:58 05/11/2008 EDITORIAL / U.S. election is example of democracy at its best By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Obama, McCain, Israel News  The United States, and the world, will wake up this morning to a new president, America's 44th. But it is already possible to congratulate the Americans, and even to be jealous of them. Just 54 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" education violates the constitution. Just four decades ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. paid with his life for his dream of obtaining equal rights for blacks. But yesterday, the son of a Kenyan immigrant was positioned as the leading candidate for the job of president of the United States and the world's most influential leader. In this campaign, America also shattered another glass ceiling: For the first time in its history, the presidency seemed within reach of a woman as well. For months, Senator Hillary Clinton was viewed as the leading candidate in the Democratic Party primaries. And the Republican Party picked an almost unknown female governor as its vice presidential candidate. Alongside the debate over the candidates' characters and qualifications, the campaign dealt with a wide range of issues. American voters had a plethora of opportunities to learn about the positions of Barack Obama and John McCain on virtually every issue. Advertisement The two presented their plans for ending the crisis in Iraq and thwarting Iran's acquisition of nuclear arms. They offered detailed positions on federal mortgage insurance, preventing home foreclosures, health insurance, fiscal policy, federal financing for research in universities, wiretapping, carbon emissions, subsidies for solar and wind energy, gasoline taxes, abortion and more. This was an exciting campaign from an ideological standpoint, featuring two candidates who offered very different paths. This was a magnificent display of democracy at its best, with a campaign that dealt with issues and not just with personalities. The excitement generated by the leading candidate, Obama, both in his own country and worldwide, is also nothing to sneeze at. It has been a long time since any politician managed to draw such massive crowds. That is good news not only for America and Americans, but also for politics and politicians in every country where people have despaired of them. The election took place in the shadow of a deep economic and social crisis, an army that has been unable to extricate itself from battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a worrying erosion of America's influence in the world. The grim mood brought millions of citizens to the polls who in the past had waived their right to have an impact. Whites and blacks, Jews and Muslims, all decided to give their votes to a candidate who is young, black and lacking in governmental experience. Old people and young people, including residents of "Republican states" par excellence, enlisted en masse to bring about change - one could even say, a revolution - in the White House and in Congress. American democracy mobilized to rescue the U.S. from the serial disappointments of President George W. Bush's eight years in office. We must hope that over the next four years, both major parties and both houses of Congress will help the new president rehabilitate the status of a superpower that remains unrivaled in its influence over the peace and welfare of all humanity, regardless of race, sex or religion. Yesterday, the U.S. once again justified its title as leader of the free world: It concluded a campaign that is a worthy model for emulation. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Never walk alone It's safe to assume that Obama won't abandon Israel. Apprehensive in Israel Rightist MK Aryeh Eldad warns 'Israel should be wary of Barack Obama'   1.   Obama aided by 8 years of chaos and deceit 06:01  |  Natallie Durson 05/11/08   2.   Obama, mazeltov!!! 06:45  |  Esther 05/11/08   3.   Democracy at its best! 06:58  |  American 05/11/08   4.   After he nationalizes everything,changes the Constitution,and 07:05  |  David 05/11/08   5.   Congrats Obama! 07:11  |  Eddie 05/11/08   6.   To David in Tsfat 07:14  |  KT 05/11/08   7.   Harretz, on the Israeli left 07:19  |  Mark Lincoln 05/11/08   8.   As long as Gerrymandering is legal and encouraged? 07:24  |  David G 05/11/08   9.   eleactions 07:24  |  n. Tamir 05/11/08   10.   Democracy at it`s worst. More like it. 07:25  |  JTA 05/11/08   11.   Natallie Durson 07:27  |  Michael 05/11/08   12.   Yes, we can! Yes, we did! 07:38  |  Leeza Cohen Coleman 05/11/08   13.   #4 David in Tsfat--put sugar on them sour grapes 07:40  |  Labhras 05/11/08   14.   Shock and awe,slam dunk, regime change 07:42  |  Labhras 05/11/08   15.   #4, I assume that by "he" you mean Bush 07:46  |  US CItizen 05/11/08   16.   Israel election 07:47  |  Hopeful 05/11/08   17.   no David, that was W 07:57  |  Solomon 05/11/08   18.   Thanks Haaretz 08:03  |  Abm Habibullah 05/11/08   19.   Democracy?? 08:06  |  Ofer 05/11/08   20.   Obama 08:08  |  T 05/11/08   21.   #4 David 08:15  |  Sonny 05/11/08   22.   To T # 20 - A surprising lack of knowledge 08:41  |  Dagma 05/11/08   23.   Most racist election result ever 09:09  |  World End 05/11/08   24.   Esther the dutch fool: Pay rent! 09:10  |  Landlord 05/11/08   25.   Black vote blacks... 09:14  |  LOL 05/11/08   26.   #4 David A middle-class American`s reply 09:15  |  Jim 05/11/08   27.   So what would you prefer, JTA #10...? A theocracy maybe...? 09:19  |  Esther 05/11/08   28.   They both knew... 09:31  |  Esther 05/11/08   29.   Yes, Haaretz hopes Israel will take a cue from this US triumph! 09:48  |  Ivar 05/11/08   30.   #14 Labhras 09:53  |  Jim 05/11/08   31.   We salute the new President 09:59  |  Israeli citizen 05/11/08   32.   #16 Hopeful 10:23  |  Jim 05/11/08   33.   #18 Abm Habibullah 10:30  |  Jim 05/11/08   34.   4 David - President, NOTKing 10:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/11/08   35.   To:3-American5-Eddie12Leeza18Abm26Jim and to all USA citizens 10:36  |  kameel 05/11/08   36.   #29ivar and human nature the wonder of the universe for 10:42  |  victor hardman 05/11/08   37.   OPEN YOUR MIND, WE WILL OPEN OURS 10:44  |  indrajaya 05/11/08   38.   #19 Ofer 10:46  |  Jim 05/11/08   39.   U.S. must earn its leadership role 10:50  |  Shtarka 05/11/08   40.   #28 Esther from TA 10:53  |  Jim 05/11/08   41.   #35 kameel 11:07  |  Jim 05/11/08   42.   #36 victor hardman 11:22  |  Jim 05/11/08   43.   #37 Indrajaya 11:37  |  Jim 05/11/08   44.   Congrats to Leeza Cohen Coleman 11:55  |  Roo 05/11/08   45.   #35 Kemeel--Thank you! 11:58  |  US CITIZEN 05/11/08   46.   #42 after8 years of george bush is jim for real ? 12:01  |  victor hardman 05/11/08   47.   Democracy 12:21  |  smart alec 05/11/08   48.   In contrast to Israeli Left hiding Sharon`s corruption and promot 12:22  |  Absolute Sweden 05/11/08   49.   The US would need electoral changes to be called a democracy.. 12:39  |  redmike 05/11/08   50.   America is back! 12:42  |  Mark B. 05/11/08   51.   319 Ofer....whatever the reasons, the people 12:53  |  Lynn 05/11/08   52.   #47 an explanation for redmike 13:04  |  Mark B. 05/11/08   53.   Really?! Come of it.. 13:22  |  Ben Lolo 05/11/08   54.   Democracy at it`s best....???? How naive, Haaretz..... 13:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/11/08   55.   What Makes America Great 13:43  |  Lev 05/11/08   56.   Wishes for Wining the Election (President) 13:44  |  Adarsh Thakur 05/11/08   57.   An Arab President of Israel 13:47  |  Moshe 05/11/08   58.   A Rabbi Cousin of Michelle Obama 14:19  |  Moshe 05/11/08   59.   Congrats to Roo, too! 14:24  |  Leeza Cohen Coleman 05/11/08   60.   #55 Lev, what would make America even greater 14:25  |  Mark B. 05/11/08   61.   I am Zippi Livni & I Approve opf this Ad 14:27  |  FOX 05/11/08   62.   now if we could get the same in the zio state 14:30  |  one man one vote 05/11/08   63.   #54 Swiss(Dino) 14:41  |  Moshe 05/11/08   64.   well moshe in USA....think it time for zio-state to 14:45  |  INTEGRATE? 05/11/08   65.   #1 Speaking Of "Endless Talk" 14:48  |  Bill Foonman 05/11/08   66.   #37 Stop Calling Muslims Terrorists 14:58  |  Bill Foonman 05/11/08   67.   # 63 Moshe, you must be kidding...... 15:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/11/08   68.   To Bill Foolman@66 16:06  |  Muslim 05/11/08   69.   NOW IT`S OUR TURN 16:30  |  Arie 05/11/08   70.   Inrajaya 16:34  |  Aby 05/11/08   71.   harretz, on the Israeli Left 16:39  |  HinCanada 05/11/08   72.   Proud to be American 16:57  |  Persian Kitty 05/11/08   73.   America`s new image and Mideast policy 17:02  |  Haim Halulan 05/11/08   74.   David #4 17:05  |  KR 05/11/08   75.   Bill Foonman#66 17:19  |  KR 05/11/08   76.   alternatives? 17:25  |  byron 05/11/08   77.   #34 Mark of Lewiston 17:30  |  Jon K 05/11/08   78.   #34 Mark of Lewiston 17:33  |  Jon K 05/11/08   79.   a cartoon 17:50  |  Mark Lincoln 05/11/08   80.   MAZAL TOV! MAY PEACE REIGN IN ISRAEL 18:00  |  HinCanada 05/11/08   81.   The USA understands democracy as binary arrogance. 18:05  |  Fortuna Benmayor 05/11/08   82.   #81 Foruna Benmayor 18:18  |  Jon K 05/11/08   83.   #49 redmike 18:19  |  Jim 05/11/08   84.   Haaretz Stands for Many of Us Around the World 18:19  |  Marco Katz 05/11/08   85.   Democracy at its` best 18:20  |  Zamarah 05/11/08   86.   Swiss (Dino) You must be kidding... 18:44  |  David Israel 05/11/08   87.   Oh yeah? - Mark of Lewiston 18:44  |  Mark Lincoln 05/11/08   88.   Israel and the Middle East can learn much from America 18:55  |  B`Galil 05/11/08   89.   America`s peculiar democracy 19:19  |  Mark Lincoln 05/11/08   90.   Swiss (Dino) - read this and 19:19  |  David Israel 05/11/08   91.   # 86 / # 90 David Israel, let me give you an example.... 19:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/11/08   92.   # 54, MARK LINCOLN 19:42  |  indrajaya 05/11/08   93.   What Democracy ???? 19:44  |  tony 05/11/08   94.   swiss i agree the major parties have cut off any new 19:52  |  but 05/11/08   95.   Israeli media and US election 19:53  |  Isadora 05/11/08   96.   Swiss Dino 19:54  |  Franklin Bluth 05/11/08   97.   Re: Blacks vote blacks... 20:28  |  And1 05/11/08   98.   Swiss (Dino) - 91 20:33  |  David Israel 05/11/08   99.   Swiis / you are wrong !! 20:34  |  tony 05/11/08   100.   Swiss (Dino) - about the polls 20:37  |  David Israel 05/11/08   101.   good post `and1` i am libertarian and voted for obama to 20:38  |  rather ron paul 05/11/08   102.   # 96 Franklin Bluth and # 94 but 20:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/11/08   103.   you right swiss...ron paul was shut out 21:02  |  still 05/11/08   104.   # 98/# 100 David Israel and # 99 tony 21:05  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/11/08   105.   Swiss (Dino) - Functioning Democracy 21:16  |  David Israel 05/11/08   106.   Re: Rather Ron Paul 21:17  |  And1 05/11/08   107.   ESTER#27 21:22  |  JTA 05/11/08   108.   #49 Well, yes, Redmike, let me explain it to you 21:46  |  ballistic 05/11/08   109.   `and1` i wanted to write in Ron Paul too!!! 21:56  |  at the last moment 05/11/08   110.   #53 Ben Lolo Wow! A Voice of Reason At Last 22:05  |  Kathy 05/11/08   111.   David Israel? i am happy about USA democracy too 22:07  |  american 05/11/08   112.   #109 American 22:35  |  Moshe 05/11/08   113.   JTA #107... your intentions are more honorable than I thought... 22:22  |  Esther 05/11/08   114.   A McCain supporter agrees wholeheartedly 22:48  |  Dave from Chicago 05/11/08   115.   American - USA democracy 22:54  |  David Israel 05/11/08   116.   To David in Tsfat 23:32  |  Otto Rand 05/11/08   117.   David Teich 00:12  |  A.M. 06/11/08   118.   #110 Say there, Kath 00:14  |  ballistic 06/11/08   119.   Lincoln? 00:22  |  A.M. 06/11/08   120.   U.S. election is example of a duped people 40 years on... 00:37  |  PL 06/11/08   121.   Americans demonstrated that every citizen is EQUAL 01:07  |  Al Hussein 06/11/08   122.   to David #4 01:42  |  Nathan 06/11/08   123.   to Red Mike 01:52  |  Nathan 06/11/08   124.   Problems with US democracy 02:03  |  Nathan 06/11/08   125.   David Israel-Functioning Democracy 02:25  |  examiner 06/11/08   126.   DEMOCRACY AT BEST, OR AS BOUGHT? 03:04  |  Barry S. Roffman 06/11/08   127.   #116 (&4) - OBAMA WILL NOT THE BIBLE? 03:18  |  Barry S. Roffman 06/11/08   128.   guess you missed the voter fraud 04:01  |  Zeek 06/11/08   129.   Rule by majority 04:12  |  CI 06/11/08   130.   otto #116 04:53  |  B. Roffman 06/11/08   131.   IMPROVEMENT NEEDED IN OUR SYSTEM 05:02  |  Barry S. Roffman 06/11/08   132.   A fine example that blood does NOT need to be shed to effect a 05:11  |  a change in power 06/11/08   133.   Indy @ 37, That "slogan" just so happens to be a direct quote 05:14  |  from our Messiah 06/11/08   134.   Examiner - USA is a functioning democracy 05:34  |  David Israel 06/11/08   135.   For Jon K # 82 05:34  |  Fortuna Benmayor 06/11/08   136.   neither Israel or America are good examples of democracy 06:19  |  zionist forever 06/11/08   137.   #3..it`s been a long time since I`ve been a proud American too!.. 07:01  |  Edithann 06/11/08   138.   #136 Zionist forever 07:06  |  Moshe 06/11/08   139.   It is now clear: we must understand that Swiss are superior race 07:59  |  Israeli citizen 06/11/08   140.   Most racist election ever 08:05  |  ADGroup 06/11/08   141.   #127 Barry S Roffman. What part do religious books play... 08:12  |  Maureen Ann 06/11/08   142.   David Israel 10:53  |  examiner 06/11/08   143.   Israeli Romanticism of the USA 01:19  |  ARTH 07/11/08   144.   Another First for USA - 2 Women on Same Ticket for President 06:04  |  GlassCeilingGoGreen 07/11/08   145.   Obama 21:16  |  Marianne 07/11/08   146.   #145 Hey Marianne 17:47  |  ballistic 08/11/08

Read & React Iran's Ahmadinejad offers congratulations to Obama Responses: 209 IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian Responses: 287 Israel and PA to continue talks with Obama's help Responses: 55 Vatican: Jewish charges against Nazi-era pope 'outrageous' Responses: 85 Jonathan Spyer: Israel has chronic myopia when it comes to Syria Responses: 39 More Headlines 17:56 Report: Meshal says Obama has no choice but to talk to Hamas 16:30 Iran slams Obama's tough language on nuclear arms 18:00 Palestinians: IDF, Hamas exchange gunfire in Gaza Strip 18:04 Saudi king musn't shake Peres' hand at interfaith meet, pan-Arab newspaper editor says 18:15 Hamas deputy blames Abbas for breakdown in Palestinian reconciliation talks 18:12 Rice visits Jenin to tout PA success in combating terrorism 17:39 Report: Auschwitz blueprints found in Berlin apartment 10:19 Protest boat carrying European MPs arrives in Gaza Strip 18:49 Report: Belgian far-right leader resigns over Holocaust song 20:13 Barak to Rice: All options are on the table regarding Iran nukes 20:46 German politician apologizes for 'pogrom' comment 10:48 Historic moment in N.Y. as first woman named to lead Rabbinical Assembly 04:06 Renovated synagogue opens old wounds in the heart of Jerusaelm 14:53 IDF mistakenly shoots Thai migrant worker on northern border 21:39 IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian Previous Editions Select Day 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct 30 oct 29 oct 28 oct 27 oct 26 oct

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