LatinaLista — It’s long been known that the rest of the world is anxiously watching our presidential campaign as if it were a primetime drama.
Now, it seems that both candidates want to include that global audience in their elections. Obama plans to go to the Mideast and Europe. McCain left for Latin America today.
A trip to Iraq is understandable and should be expected of both candidates. After all, the groundswell of US troops stationed there, who happen to be voters, makes sense.
But a trip to any other country at this stage of the game doesn’t make sense and would seem to be a waste of campaign funds.
In fact, a trip to Latin America, at this point in time, serves more as a blatant attempt to pander for the Hispanic vote rather than any constructive trip to achieve results.
It was reported today that McCain left to go to Colombia and Mexico to discuss everything from narcotics and trade with Colombian President Uribe to the fight against the drug cartels with Mexican President Calderon.
Visiting Latin America without being able to do nothing more than not being able to promise anything seems like a photo opp and nothing more.
To be fair, going to Europe seems like a lame cover for going on vacation.
Yet, by traveling to Latin America and setting up high-profile meetings with the Presidents of these countries seems to send the message that something will be done, and we know it won’t.
Nobody, but the President has the authority to make deals and then only with the approval of Congress.
So what is a Senator running for the presidency going to do other than sit there nodding his head?
It would be one thing if he returned to Congress to pass along what he learns and starts a concrete effort to help with the problems that exist in those countries and which impact us every day.
Yet, that won’t happen because there’s an election to win and what’s important now is appearances rather than substance.
