I have been in Brazil now for three months and the most asked question is, of course, what about Obama? Some members of the Black Secretariat of the Workers´Party think that the Obama candidacy in itself could represent a major indication of shifts in how US mainstream view race and more generally that this candidacy has to significantly raise African American hopes, esteem and involvement. Union leaders and other activists all seem completely unified in their horror of what another Clinton, even though a different Clinton, might mean in the presidency for greater neo-liberal agressiveness here and elsewhere in the Americas.
There is also a lot of concern over politics without meaningful movement building. The Brazilian left, in particular, continues to struggle with the contradictions of workers and leftist in government, and how even the most committed seem to block movement growth once installed in order to gain personal prestige for initiating a change or two. No one thinks Obama has left markings, but they do know what happens when you expend your energies in a major campaign that in the end disappoints many once the person/party is elected.
A friend of mine, a top leader of the Metalworkers Union here--decided to run for mayor himself in a small city in Rio Grande do Sul. He put all his effort into creating proposals for new primary procedures that would build democratic involvement in each community and facilitate the creation of a program by the people, community by community. The idea was that then the candidates would speak to what the people had democratically developed. His proposal was defeated by the city´s Workers´Party leaders, and he lost the primary. In most cases it is not the candidate but the power and organization built among the people that counts. Yet he too sees important potential in an Obama candidacy.
I understand that Progressives for Obama are focused on making this campaign about a lot more than votes for Obama. I was very excited to see the announcement and sent it to anyone I know here in Brazil who speaks English. No question that the world is watching!
