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Boris backs Barack as 'America's only hope'
Pippa Crerar, City Hall Editor21.10.08
BORIS Johnson today broke with political convention by endorsing Barack Obama to become the next US president.
The Mayor said only the Democratic candidate favourite to win the contest on 4 November could restore America's reputation in the world's eyes.
And he said Senator Obama would help bring an end to race-based politics by proving it was possible to reach the top irrespective of colour or background.
However, Mr Johnson's intervention just days before America goes to the polls breaks the convention that politicians do not become involved in other countries' elections.
His remarks also threaten to put him at odds with Tory leader David Cameron, who has met both candidates, and who praised Senator Obama's Republican rival John McCain earlier this year.
Tories traditionally support the Republicans and Senator McCain spoke at the Tory annual conference in Bournemouth two years ago.
The Evening Standard revealed this summer that Mr Johnson backed Senator Obama, saying his victory would be a "fantastic" boost for black people around the world.
Mr Johnson wrote in today's Daily Telegraph: "Obama deserves to win because he seems talented, compassionate, and because he offers the hope of rejuvenating the greatest country on earth in the eyes of the rest of us.
"Unlike his opponent, he visibly incarnates change and hope, at a time when America desperately needs both."
He added: "Then there is the final, additional reason, the glaring reason, and that is race.
"If Obama wins, the US will have at last come a huge and maybe decisive step closer to achieving the dream of Martin Luther King, of a land where people are judged not on the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.
"Then black people the world over will be able to see how a gifted man has been able to smash through the ultimate glass ceiling. He will have established that being black is as relevant to your ability to do a hard job as being left-handed or ginger-haired.
"We could even see the beginning of the end of race-based politics, with all the grievance-culture and special interest groups and political correctness that come with it."
Mr Johnson also attacked President George Bush, accusing him of having pulled off an "astonishing double whammy" of wrecking both democracy and capitalism through the Iraq invasion and the banking system's collapse.
"To have rocked one of those pillars may be regarded as a misfortune. To have damaged the reputation of both, at home and abroad, is a pretty stunning achievement for an American president," he said.
While he praised Senator McCain as "brave and principled", he said he did not offer Americans any hope of repairing those fundamental US ideals.
Reader views (13)
I think barrack obama being president is what America and this world needs for he shalL give hope to all our leaders of 2moro that they can be whoever they want to be regardless of their race.even a black president.OBAMA stands for change,change in history and change for the black people.so whopp!!BARACK OBAMA!!
- Olivia, london
Sorry, Apaul, but when your government actively interferes in the running of just about every other country then we're entitled to at least comment on the election of the person who rules us, even if we don't get a say in who he or she is. I seem to remember someone a long time ago whingeing about "no taxation without representation". We're not even asking for representation, just indulging in a bit of free speech. Anyway, Boris Johnson is outside your country, he isn't interfering, so what on earth are you complaining about?
- Sarah, Surrey
Apaul, well from this side of the pond, America appears to have gone socialist under Bush. And as for freedome Fl with many other states doesn't even know how to come up with a cool voting system yet. I do note your comments about protection, think back. America didn't come into WW2 until it was forced to, you just sat back like always only attacking poor countries. Try to give over moaning and sort your own backyard problems out
- Jaberwokie3, Switzerland
"You would have to be nuts to vote for Obama"
Whereas voting for even the possibility that the clueless Sarah Palin might become President is an act of unimpeachable sanity?
- Michael, London
I agree Apaul,
But our Mayor was born in USA so you can't really begrudge him having an opinion.
Carry on listening to how England does this and that, do the opposite and you won't go far wrong.
- Chris, London
Apaul, West Palm Beach, Fl.USA - Guess now you know how others' meddling in another's country feels like. Think of all the countries past, present and future that the USA has meddled in and not "left alone!"
- James, Leicester
Only hope for what??? Will we, under Obama, have to send more billions than we do now to Africa. (He says he will) Will we have to send even more disaster aid than we do now to every country that has a disaster? Will we have to spend even more to provide defence for the free world? Most of us would like to bring home troops from Germany for instance. The Germans say no. Will we have to provide more than the 30% of the UN Budget than we do now? What the hell more do you want from UN Boris.
- Ray, Gurnee, USA
Fiendish double-bluff by Boris, knowing that Yanks hate to be told how they should vote. Remember Kinnock endorsing...endorsing.. actually I've just forgotten the poor man's name, Reagan slaughtered him so comprehensively!
I have a mental picture of McCain holding up a paper with Boris' endorsement of Obama, like Truman holding up the paper saying 'Dewey defeats Truman'.
- Mdj, Leyton, London
The only hope for England would be a complete overthrow of your government. Ours would be fine if outsiders would just stay outside and leave us alone. We keep hearing how England and Europe does this and that yet it still seems that this country is still the superpower and the one that Europe looks to for protection. You folks have given up all chances to be a free people, we haven't yet.
- Apaul, West Palm Beach, Fl.USA
All the U.S. candidates were on a loser to start with. Good luck Obama, but un-like Coweline Powell, lets declare allegiance before the horse is past the post. Anyway London has its problem and an everyday soundbite on whats happening around the world is not what the Mayor is paid for. Sort London out first.
- Colin Bond, London
You would have to be nuts to vote for Obama, so he will probably get elected.
- Vince London, West London
And that's why I love Boris Johnson! Just when I think 'oh god why did I vote for him?' he says stuff like this and I know why I voted for him!
- Lewis, London
Well done Bojo - jinx it why don't you. Focus on your job my dear - you're not quite cutting it at the moment.
- Jc, UK
