Mark Chapman's Weblog

It has lasted longer, and more money has been spent on it, than many democratic government's entire periods in power, but finally it looks like the Democrats will select Barack Obama as their nominee.

Few would have given Clinton any hope of securing the nomination, but she resolutely stayed on, hoping that the party's 'Super Delgates' influence the vote in her favour. However, it has in fact been the opposite, as the Super Delegates have sought to elect Obama if not for any other reason because they want the whole, farcical affair drawn to a close.

Indeed Clinton has now, apparently, made it clear that she is open to becoming Obama's running mate, meaning that Obama will get many of the Hispanic votes that were reserved for Clinton when it comes to the Presidential election.

If this story is true, the these two Democratic heavy weights can truly make a play for the White House. McCain should be concerned, even if he can use the negative politics used by each of the Democrats to his own advantage.

It is true that this campaign, more than any other for a nominee for the White House, never mind a President, has been particularly vitriolic (on both sides, but particularly from the Clinton camp). Equally, it is true that the degree of waste (this time the Obama camp is very much the culprit), and the hideous amount of money and time are, for a European living in a Parliamentary system, frankly distasteful.

However, the system is what it is and it has certainly made for epic entertainment, even if, as with so many attempts at epics, it could have done with being a little shorter and much less melodramatic.

Let us now hope that the Democrats can sort themselves out and push themselves on. Obama, despite his often irritating overuse of it, is right to use the phrase 'America needs change'. It does, and the Democrats appear to be finally selecting two people who have the personalities to become good Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees. It doesn't matter what they are like when they actually get into office - just look at Bush's abysmal record - it only matters that they sell themselves to the American people. With the Republican party out of office there would be real hope that the Evangelical Church and the Hawks will have to spend at least 4 years away from the seat of power and that, finally, the world can start to live up to its name again.