The world of water cooler politics is flat, too

President Bush recently visited Tanzania, one of the few nations in the world where he enjoys an approval rating above 50 percent. Despite Bush’s relative popularity, questions about Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign to become Bush’s successor dominated the visit, according to a Sheryl Gay Stolberg story from last Sunday’s New York Times.

Outside of town, at the Mwenge Village market, Theresa Maridadi, 62, was seated with a newspaper in her lap, debating the Democrats with her son, Lucas Kahtoza, who lit up at the mention of Mr. Obama’s name and put his hand to his chest.

“Remember, Obama is from Africa,” he said. “From my heart, it is good.”

His mother cut him off. “Why you want to like Obama because he come from Africa?” she demanded. She is for Mrs. Clinton: “Her husband was the president, she has more exposure. She’s mature, she’s a woman. It’s good for a woman to lead that country.”

It’s nice to see that people on the other side of the world are having the same exact argument that I have with my mother in law all the time. Though, to be fair, if you ever hear me say “From my heart, it is good,” I’ve probably been drinking. That’s four-beer rhetoric.

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