Russia: All Eyes on Future Relations
For the first time since the early 1990s, Russian media is expressing an intense and detailed interest toward a US presidential election. While mindful of the historic race and the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama, Russian media covers the election with an eye on the future development of US-Russia relations, trying to figure out which candidate would be more open to improving the relations between the two countries. Some media outlets try to predict who would win, others are trying to comment on the polls and attitudes in America and relying on the US media to furnish the results.
This report from business daily Vzglyad (Outlook) is typical - it cites data that Senator Obama has a 10 point lead over Senator McCain. A few online newspapers limit their coverage of the race to just such numbers, given the overall apprehension over the future development of US-Russia relations. Other media sites go a step beyond - the popular Lenta.ru online news portal has a large section dedicated to the American election news digest and opinion.
Overall, most Russians - including the government - do not foresee a major change in the bilateral relations. This particular piece symbolizes that sentiment- it's a summary of a call-in radio show in which listeners were asked on the future US relations with Russia and former Soviet states. The result? "The US has a long-term strategy towards Russia and FSU, and the presidential election would not alter such strategy to a great degree." Another answer is also more emblematic of the emerging Russian opinion: "It will be easier to just talk to Obama, while it will be easier to agree and negotiate with McCain."
Other news outlets are openly discussing the impending arrival of Senator Obama to the White House, citing the financial crisis as crippling to the Republicans' chances this year. Daily Gazeta on Friday discussed how just recently, Russian government was looking forward to McCain's presidency as "somewhat confrontational, but rather predictable in its foreign policy." However, now Moscow is "awaiting the arrival of the Democrats, trying to convince itself that they always adhered to a more flexible and multilateral foreign policy, understood the importance of international institutions and did not get involved in every conflict when one of the antagonists would talk loudly about democracy. However, everyone is trying not to bring up the war in Yugoslavia, which took place on the Democrats' watch."
Other news publications offer more direct headlines. "Obama Leads in Early Voting." This article in Strana.ru cites a large turnout across America for early voting, describing that registered Democrats far outnumber registered Republicans at this juncture. Nevada, Ohio and North Carolina are described as some of the areas where Democrats have a numerical advantage in early polls, thereby "greatly complicating Senator McCain's situation."
