Korea Watches Obama vs. McCain '08

I'm simultaneously excited and anxious about the election in America these days. Last Wednesday, I cast my absentee ballot via e-mail for Obama in Monroe County, Indiana. I really think he will be the better candidate this time, as most of you already know to be a complete understatement from me, and although we haven't ever talked much politics between us here at this blog, it's clear to me that, even apart from the wars, willful deception, and eroding of civil liberties within America under President Bush, that the Republicans must go.

The stories I had been hearing about the disasters in the American economy have finally come home to rest here in Korea, as they have in almost every economy in the world over the past few weeks. The other day I was trying to send US$150 home to mom so she could pay my storage facility bills and it cost me 233,000 Korean Won, or what would normally be around US$230. The Korean Won has devalued to the point that my nearly $2,000/month salary is now really more like $1,300/month. If I'm going to be bringing any money home at all when I change it all out in December, something is going to have to change, starting with failed American leadership.

Related to the election, I asked some of my 13 year-old Korean students on their internet homework who they thought would win the American election and got some humorous responses! I'll include a couple here:

"I think Obama will win the United States presidential elecion.
Yesterday, I saw the newspaper.
And I saw the news about United States presidential election.
Democrat Barack Obama looked calm and genial.
But Republican John McCain looked pressing.
So Obama will new United States president."

"I think 'Democrat Barack Obama' will be the USA's president.
Because Obama will be president, people won't racial discrimination anymore.
And Mcline is slandering Obama now.
That's very bad thing.
The president is representative of the country.
So the president have good personality.
So I think Obama will be president of the USA."

"오 바 마
O BAMA
you know that he had get more votes.
(I hope the black man will win.)
(I don't like women.)
(Plus, I don't hope that O BAMA will do the same thing as LEE MYUNG BAK please.)
And I think he is a good character.
(Don't you think women will be so fret?)
I hope very hope O B A M A please."*

*This guy's post is interesting for two reasons: 1st, it shows the Koreanized Hangul spelling of Obama (오바마) and, 2nd because it showcases this kid's unabashed sexism and apparent belief that Obama is still running against Hillary Clinton like back in the Democratic Primary!
ah-hahahaha! Lee Myung Bak is the current Korean president, an unpopular Conservative.

"Ahh.. Hi Jonathan
...I don't know that thing detail, but I write by my own knowledge
I think Obama will elected president because Obama is more friendly and popular name in Korea that mean Obama is more popular in the world (average)
I think so....
and Obama is will be reception policy
So I like Obama
But It can false think or false information!!
Bye Bye"

"..................huh?
Well, Let's start the main topic.
Nowadays, Amearica's vote result is getting 'hot potato.'
Because If McCain is elected, We could eat abnormal beef at least in 10 years.(...)
That means, if McCain is elected, Lee Myung Bak and McCain will play each other like child.(of course, it is black humor;한국말로 하면, Mc가 되면 2MB랑 짝짜꿍 잘 놀것이다.)It means, McCain has less support->Obama has more support->Obama will be elected.
conclusion is:
오 바 마
O BAMA."**

**This guy's post relates to the fact that all Koreans are generally terrified that American beef (which they only resumed importing again back in February after a ban since 2003) will expose them to "Crazy Cow" (a.k.a.-Mad Cow Disease), and the popularly-held belief that Korean Conservative Lee Myung Bak will work more closely with American Conservative John McCain in conspiring to make the Korean people eat "dangerous" beef indefinitely!

Anyways, those are just some of the more humorous and more well-informed opinions from the students, but they, like the adults here too, are curiously watching to see what America will do on November 4th. Personally, I'm with them in hoping that all Americans will cast a vote that strengthens the Korean Won (so I can keep some of the money I'm making over here!) and, to a lesser degree, so that the poor Koreans won't have to keep worrying about "Crazy Cows" rotting holes in their brains (with regards to that issue at least, sometimes I think that they already have!)