Foreign journalists flock to Denver

The nomination of Barack Obama isn’t just America’s story. More than 2,000 foreign journalists have flocked to Denver to cover the Democratic National Convention.

The reason for the foreign fascination? In part, it’s the drama of American democracy. “Japanese people are more interested in this election than in domestic elections,” said Fumitaka Susami, a political correspondent with the Japanese news agency Kyodo News, which sent a delegation of 23 staffers.

“The ruling party in Japan [has been] in power 50 years, so no power-changing in Japan,” he said, in halting English, referring to the Liberal Democratic Party.

Susami said the Japanese public was more enchanted with Hillary Clinton, the Democrat Obama defeated on his way to clinching the presidential nomination, than with the Illinois senator.

The "race factor is not familiar with Japanese people," he said, but the enthusiasm generated during the primaries over the possibility of the first woman U.S. president was “more understandable.”

In Brazil, said reporter Jose Meirelles Passos of the newspaper O Globo, there is great interest in Obama. "Brazil has a large black population, creating empathy,” said Passos, who has covered American politics for 21 years.

In addition, the election matters to Brazilian readers, he said, because "everything that happens here affects our country... it's a globalized world."

-- Kate Kraft

Comments

[Alessandro Machi]

We needed the foreign press this year to make up for the hideous coverage that MSNBC provided.

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http://www.FAIR-REFLECTION.com
http://www.CAUCUSCHEATING.com

[Patrick Obrien]

OBAMA BIDEN is the right choice for not only America but for the world. I have travelled through Latin America just last week and in all five countries I visited I heard from common people praying we elect Barack Obama. No Way No how No Mc Cain. Mc Same did not support the GI Bill and as a veteran who has a son in iraq right now I wont forgive nor forget that fact. I want energy independance, I want health care for my family that we can depend on, I want our veterans taken care of, I want our planet taken care of therefore I will vote for Barack Obama!!

[PuWeiTa]

All Foreign Journalists:

The real American style democracy is practiced behind closed doors between lobbyists and politicians. Denver police will probably arrest you if you show up with a camera.

What's televised is only lip services just so that Americans can think they have a democratic country.

Go home.

[dave]

better suggestion: while you're there, why not go instead to cover the only convention open to anyone interested, the real, core republican convention, not the neocon-hijacked one, but the 'rally for the republic' organized by the leigitmate constitutional republican candidate for president, RON PAUL at the target center in minneapolis (august 31st - september 2nd) at the same time the neocon faux convention takes place at st. paul? that way, you might make a useful statement and contribution in support of basic civil rights, and freedom of speech, and perhaps even help the legitimate cause for liberty and peace, of the legitimate and qualified candidate. for the rEVOLution, after all, to be televised.