Wilson Johwa
28 February 2008
Johannesburg — THOUGH few in number, SA-based Americans are among the thousands of US expatriates giving Democratic hopeful Barack Obama the lead in his bid for the party's presidential nomination.
Obama has emerged as the clear favourite among Democrats living outside the US.
Results of the global primary -- allowing US Democrats spread across the world to vote online for the first time -- show Obama having received twice as much support as fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Of the 23000 international ballots, 65,6% went to Obama and 32,7% to Clinton. In SA, 77 Americans participated in the Democratic primaries, with 83,3% voting for Obama and 10,7% for Clinton.
Courtney Priester, chairman of Democrats Abroad in SA, said: "This means the Americans who have the most international experience and exposure feel Obama would be the best candidate to represent global interests."
The full results determine the allocation of 4,5 delegate votes at the Democratic national convention in August. Obama won 2,5 delegate votes and former first lady Clinton two delegate votes. A further 2,5 votes will be determined at the Democrats Abroad global convention in April.
In addition, Democrats Abroad -- which is referred as the 51st US state -- holds a four super delegate vote.
The Democrats Abroad global primary was conducted early this month with balloting taking place at voting centres in more than 30 countries by mail, fax and, for the first time on the internet, through a secure online system. Online ballots were cast across the world, from Antarctica to Zambia.
The US presidential election will take place on November 4.
To vote in the election, overseas voters must request a ballot from local voting authorities in the place where they last resided in the US. An estimated 6-million Americans live outside the US.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 Business Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
The TABLOID media (there are no true news stations anymore) are absolutely shameful and ridiculous! She inst whining, she is telling the truth something new to corrupt racist Obama and the media, she is doing WHAT HER SUPPORTERS ARE INSISTING SHE DO, STAND UP! Especially like she did to that bone head Tim Russet. They attack EVERYTHING she does! If she laughs, or tears up because she is HUMAN and touched by a supporters story, if she allows attacks, she weak, if she fights back, she a bitch????? God forbid someone tells the truth about the bogus weak inexperienced racist black politician, or the fact his speeches are stolen words, that he has no solutions or experience with foreign affairs. Something that puts this country at great risk! WAKE UP PEOPLE, WE GAVE OUR COUNTRY TO ONE POLITICAN WHO DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING AND WE ARE DOING IT AGAIN!!! Does Oprah pay for or own all the media? Is she paying off CNN/MSNBC, the idiot Tucker Carlson or ANY black idiot on CNN? I’m ashamed of the media and how we are electing the President at this most important time in history…when we all are working for China, Thank CNN/MSNBC/FOX and Obamanantion… Black community claim that they want to live in a society where discrimination doesn't exist, but they don't practice what they preach, Especially MR.LEWIS! When Obama continually pulls 90%+ of the black vote, it's obvious that most blacks are voting for a candidate because of skin color. Women can move beyond the struggle for equal status and for material goods to the challenges and opportunities of citizenship. Quality of goals and the achievement of goals which will mean a better life for all. For me, it was the beginning of seeing how politics can bring tangible results. I always hope that the very best of our people will go into politics, and I am sure that some of our best are women. So, I say: "Don't hold back. Don't be shy. Step forward in every way you can to plan boldly, to speak clearly, to offer the leadership which the world needs. Let us today earnestly resolve to build the true foundation for Eleanor Roosevelt's memory--to pluck out prejudice from our lives, to remove fear and hate where it exists, and to create a world unafraid to work out its destiny in peace. Eleanor Roosevelt has already made her own splendid and incomparable contribution to that foundation. Let us go and do likewise, within the measure of our faith and the limits of our ability. Let Eleanor Roosevelt teach us all how to turn the arts of compassion into the victories of democracy. Eleanor Roosevelt taught us that sometimes silence is the greatest sin. Mrs. Lyndon Baines (Ladybird) Johnson Former First Lady, United States of America
ALL WOMEN IN AMERCIA NEED TO SEE WHERE THEY RATE IN THIS COUNTRY! WE ARE ALLOWING THE MEDIA TO TAKE UP BACK 60 YEARS. THINK ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER, MOTHER, AUNT OR SISTER. THE GREAT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, LADY BYRD JOHNSON, JACKIE KENNEDY ARE TURNING OVER IN THEIR GRAVES AT THE WAY THIS COUNTRY IS ATTACKING A GREAT LADY TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND FORMER TWO TERM FIRST LADY WHO SAT SIDE BY SIDE ONE OF THE GREATEST PRESIDENTS FOR THE MINORITES AND MIDDLE CLASS IN HISTORY.