Otto Wolff Lecture

„Standing at the Turning Point of History: An Outlook on the American Presidential Election"

To launch this year’s event season, the Amerika Haus e.V.  NRW, in cooperation with the Otto-Wolff Foundation and the Cologne Chamber of Commerce were able to get an expert with insights far and above those of others concerning recent developments of transatlantic relations. With a mixture of charm, facts, and analysis Dr. John C. Hulsman, expert on foreign policy and Alfred-von-Oppenheim Scholar of the DGAP, presented his views of the “Turning Point of History: An Outlook on the American Presidential Election”.

In doing so, Dr. Hulsman’s concern  was completely in keeping with the slogan of the U.S. election, change. However, he sharpened this slogan with the sentence, “Mr. Bush, things are not okay”. The U.S. government has to finally admit that the power structure of the post-war era has changed radically. It is the moral obligation of everyone to bring the multi-polar world to the negotiating table, and there must be no exceptions made in this! A global government is needed, which would search out and promote the dialogue between East and West, between non-democratic and democratic nations, according to Hulsman. Because the world may not rest alone upon a Euro-Atlantic base, “We must unite to solve!”

In this respect it is thus of vital necessity to include up and coming powers such as China in the G8, since more than ever it is now all about cooperation than about traditional dominance of a purely U.S.-European system. As an example for the right glue that would hold the nations together, Dr. Hulsman brought up the success of the German-American friendship. It is the human touch which builds bridges, which lays the cornerstone for constructive and more open discussions, he said. And precisely here is where Dr. Hulsman sees a clear advantage for Obama in the race for the office of American president. Another aspect and possibly decisive in favor of Obama is the current crisis the Republicans are in. States that have traditionally voted Republican, such as Virginia, are tending to vote Democrat according to the latest polls. In the event of an election defeat of McCain it is vital for the crisis-ridden Republicans to define their political agenda anew. It would take, Hulsman says, “a revolt of the Republicans”.

Concerning the question as to how the system can be brought on a successful course again, John Hulsman revealed himself to be an American romantic: The USA have an “in-built historical dynamism, a record of survival. We survived Vietnam, McCarthyism. We even beat the British!,” Hulsman stated optimistically. In times of the greatest crises it has produced men such as Kennedy or Truman. And so it shall be this time again.

All in all, John Hulsman sees Obama on top because he is the more dynamic and modern candidate. Challenges such as the Post-Kyoto-Protocol, the worldwide financial crisis, the explosive situations in Iran, Afghanistan, and Georgia, as well as international trade can be better met by Obama. It remains to be seen, however, whether he can maintain the creed of his election campaign as a president as well. More interesting than both of the previous debates of the two presidential candidates he finds to be the duel between both vice-presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Biden will have to prove that he is the more disciplined candidate. He will have to skillfully prove her inexperience without pointing a finger at her lack of knowledge. According to Hulsman, it was an inexcusable mistake to choose Palin as his running-mate, since her very person completely destroys McCain’s key argument that Obama is much too young and inexperienced. It remains to be seen what the next few weeks will bring. One thing is certain, however, and that is that the election debates will be dynamite for the campaign, keeping the excitement high until the final outcome of the election.

 

In cooperation with the Otto-Wolff-Foundation and the Cologne Chamber of Commerce