On Earth Day (that’s Apr. 22 for those of you still not on the eco-train), I spoke in Beijing. While there, I spent time with both U.N. and Chinese government officials, as well as Chinese business leaders, who told me that highly placed members of the DNC have spent a great deal of time in China, telling them that Democrats will win the White House in November and singing the praises of Senator Obama.
During the course of my visit, I made it very clear that I am a McCain supporter, and they listened intently to a side of American politics they are not hearing from other visitors from the U.S. What a pity.
Reading about our next President in American newspapers is not the way a nation of 1.3 billion people should meet him. There were some heavy hitters at the Summit at which I spoke, and my personalized stories of Senator McCain were the first they had heard.
[Hey, RNC…it’s only a 12 hour flight to Beijing, and even in economy class, it’s not that bad! Getty up!]
I can tell you that the DNC’s candy-coating of Obama doesn’t inspire confidence in the U.S. in Asia, but it does inspire confidence that we could be usurped as leaders of the world economy. The story of Senator McCain’s leadership and qualifications was met with respect and, in some cases, awe by my new Chinese friends. They were unaware of many of his accomplishments and policy positions, and they were mightily impressed.
Why is that important? The Chinese are poised to surpass the American economy in short order, and their demand for the same world energy supply that the U.S. uses to fuel our economy and standard of living is growing exponentially. The U.S. and Chinese government, along with multi-national companies with a foot-hold in both nations, will need to work together in order to avoid serious strains on our ability to simultaneously manage the finite natural resources needed for both economies to thrive. Leaders of both countries will need to have mutual respect for one another, and strong leadership, so we can maintain the balance and the relationship that has served our countries so well in the past few decades.
So when you hear Democrats talking about the world’s perception of the U.S. and our Presidential election, be confident that a strong, fearless President is the hope of many good people around the world, and neither Democratic candidate fits the bill. California Republicans did the right thing when we delivered up a nearly "winner take all" victory for Senator McCain on Super Tuesday. Senator McCain is the leader we are all waiting for, so roll up your sleeves and volunteer today!