Not living in the USA, it is impossible for me to judge who would make the better President.
All I can say is that regardless of the whether or not these candidates are puppets, the majority of the world's population are unlikely to see them as such.
My perception is that Obama would carry a weight of expectation on his shoulders that may exceed McCain's.
Many people worldwide are not only looking for a change, but also at the message that would be sent out if Obama becomes the first black man to reach the White House; a message that perhaps at long last we are going to be able to accept a human being for his/her abilities and not because of a skin colour.
But because so many will be overjoyed to see a barrier come down, and because of the hope and example this sets - especially after the recent past and its wars - it seems to me that the burden on Obama to deliver is greater than those who went before him.
In a sense it's a bit like being a career woman - it is still the case that a woman has to work harder to get there and stay there than a man. That has certainly been my experience, anyway. I feel this will be Obama's, too.
Here in the UK, we have disenchanted young black kids who have had little to look up to in terms of role models and have somehow found the 'gangster rapper' scenario their misguided passport to respect, with all its associated effects. We're seeing youth gang warfare and knife crime spring up - which we haven't had before. With Obama in the White house, wouldn't it be at least a hope that this might have some tiny, tiny, influence on them - eventually?
It may be a wholly unrealistic view.....but hoping is no bad thing
