二零零八 / 2008

While "èr líng líng bā" in China is essentially synonymous with "Beijing Olympics," I think it must have fairly different connotations in the States, where there'll be a new president for the first time in eight years--to the relief of not just a few folks both in and outside the U.S. (In the three years I've been outside the States and socializing with Chinese and other foreigners, mostly from Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, I can't say I've met a single non-American who's had something nice to say about Bush. Then again, I can't even recall meeting many Americans who had nice things to say about Bush, either, but I guess I have a stilted vantage point.)

Whoever it is, at least I'll no longer be on the receiving end of comments about Bush, or "Xiao Bu Shi" as he's known in Chinese, which if pronounced with the wrong tones, could mean "Little Not."

But with this realization came the realization that I don't really know anything about any of the candidates. Incidentally, I still haven't decided whether or not I'll vote.

In fact, I've only heard about Clinton and Obama, and I can't say I know much about them beyond the superficialities of their identities. Incidentally, I can't name even one Republican candidate.

It's much easier to avoid the barrage of reporting on all this business when you're not in the thick of it. And much easier to shrug off the alleged responsibility or civic duty to vote, and be an informed voter at that. But I don't know that simply because I'm living outside the States that it matters less. There is, of course, the possibility I'll return within the next four years. On top of that, whoever represents the U.S. as its president, unfortunately, is perceived by the international audience as speaking for us all.

So out of a sense of curiosity and some obligation, I took this Presidential Candidate Selector quiz to see who it thought I should vote for. Here are my results:

	1.	Theoretical Ideal Candidate (100%)
	2.	Dennis Kucinich (75%) Information link
	3.	Barack Obama (73%) Information link
	4.	Alan Augustson (69%) Information link
	5.	Hillary Clinton (68%) Information link
	6.	Joseph Biden (68%) Information link
	7.	Wesley Clark (64%) Information link
	8.	John Edwards (62%) Information link
	9.	Christopher Dodd (61%) Information link
	10.	Al Gore (58%) Information link
	11.	Michael Bloomberg (57%) Information link
	12.	Bill Richardson (55%) Information link
	13.	Kent McManigal (50%) Information link
	14.	Mike Gravel (49%) Information link
	15.	Ron Paul (45%) Information link
	16.	Elaine Brown (43%) Information link
	17.	Rudolph Giuliani (35%) Information link
	18.	Mike Huckabee (30%) Information link
	19.	Mitt Romney (30%) Information link
	20.	Chuck Hagel (30%) Information link
	21.	John McCain (28%) Information link
	22.	Sam Brownback (23%) Information link
	23.	Newt Gingrich (19%) Information link
	24.	Tom Tancredo (16%) Information link
	25.	Jim Gilmore (15%) Information link
	26.	Tommy Thompson (15%) Information link
	27.	Duncan Hunter (13%) Information link
	28.	Fred Thompson (11%) Information link

That doesn't look all that promising. I guess it's about time to read up on these guys (and gals).