PAO U.S. Elections
Latest embassy news
Public Affairs Officer Richard M. Johannsen
Douala
U.S. Elections
November 4, 2008
Distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen, good evening.
I am honored to welcome all of you here tonight on this historic event.
Historic because this is the first time the United States Embassy has hosted an election night event here in Douala.
We are doing this because we feel the heartbeat of Cameroon politics pulsing here in Douala and we wanted to recognize and encourage the political dynamism of this city. We particularly salute the coexistence of several political parties here in Douala and the role each of them play in promoting democracy in Cameroon.
The United States believes that it is only through genuine competition that real democracy can blossom.
This night is also historic because we are here to witness the last hours of the most historic election in recent U.S. history.
Millions of Americans will exercise their right to vote in presidential, legislative, state and local elections.
This long process for choosing the presidential candidates began nearly two years ago.
And those individuals who put forth their names as presidential candidates represent the diverse nature of America -- men and women, white, black, and Hispanic – and came from all corners of the United States and represent a wide array of religious and political beliefs. And now, after the primaries and caucuses, the national conventions, and the debates between the candidates, Americans will in a few hours send either the first female vice president or the first African-American president to Washington. I think the presence of Sarah Palin and Barack Obama on their respective parties’ tickets show the progress that we as a nation have made to overcome the regrettable history of sexism and the lingering, disgraceful legacy of slavery and racism in the United States.
In addition to the important precedents this election will set, it is also exciting because the Republican and Democratic candidates have such compelling life stories. John McCain is a war hero who spent five and a half years in a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp and who has served the people of the United States for nearly 50 years in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Congress. He has a reputation as a “maverick,” often taking positions on issues in direct conflict with his political party, such as his long crusade to change the way political campaigns are financed. Barack Obama, the son of an American mother and a Kenyan father, spent part of his early life overseas and was raised primarily by his single mother and grandparents. His family worked hard to send him to the best schools despite their limited means, and he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Turning down the opportunity to work in a large law firm for a generous salary, he instead chose to work as a community organizer in underprivileged areas of Chicago and to practice civil rights law. He became only the fifth African-American U.S. Senator and is now the first to serve as the candidate for president of a major political party.
The candidacies of these two individuals have energized the American public and garnered significant attention around the world. Record numbers of Americans are registering to vote for the first time, and many analysts predict record-setting voter turnout today. This is important because of the significant issues facing the next president in the 21st century: the current financial crisis; the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; new centers of power on the world’s stage; and the changing profile of the American population. The task ahead of the next president is substantial, and as a result it is important that all Americans play their part in choosing whose job it will be to tackle these problems. These challenges also underline the importance of the legislative elections, as all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up for re-election this year. The next president will have to work extremely closely with Congress to craft and pass legislation aimed at resolving the challenges ahead.
Despite the tough road ahead for the next president, I think the most important aspect of this election is that fact that no matter which of the candidates is elected, there are institutions in place to manage a change in leadership. Our Constitution specifically limits the president to a maximum of two terms of four years each. Today we will elect our 44th president in the almost 220 years since George Washington was elected, and the 10th since the U.S. and Cameroon began diplomatic relations. Political change has been good for the United States. It invigorates the political process by ensuring new political leaders with fresh ideas and energy emerge. It forces politicians to be accountable to the electorate and mobilizes the public to discuss and debate important national issues. Our term limits also help encourage an alternation of power, another aspect we think helps balance the interests and policies of the United States. In fact, in the last 55 years, the same party has remained in the White House more than two terms only once (1980-1992). I believe changes in presidential leadership and the alternation of political power are two of the driving forces behind the dynamism of the United States, and this is something we are very proud of as a nation.
So, we are here tonight to celebrate democracy. Enjoy the party!