This trifecta is more than just a sports story in a nation of 45 million, which has only known democracy for around 30 years — it’s a coming-out party. A columnist in a leading Spanish paper, El Pais, theorized, in all seriousness, “The first generation of Spaniards born into a democracy are on average nine centimeters taller than those born in the first years of the dictatorship.”
The wins have also provided an enormous boost of confidence in a nation that, until now, was more known throughout the Continent for its internecine strife between regions — Catalonia vs. Madrid vs. the Basque Country vs. Galicia, etc. — than any national accomplishments. (Hence, the old joke, “Three Spaniards, four opinions.”) Those divisions haven’t disappeared by a long shot, and like much of the world, the country is currently facing tougher economic times. But the emergence of Spain as a mini-power (it recently surpassed Italy in annual GDP) does demonstrate that, in the new integrated Europe, the old superpowers are now often finding themselves competing for power and glory with such rejuvenated former laggards as Ireland and Spain.
Which brings us to the current presidential campaign. Barack Obama recently returned from a celebrated international tour, where he stopped in Germany, France, and England. Alas, it was a political sightseeing trip better suited to the politics of the continent a century ago, before the outbreak of World War I. No Spain, no central Europe, not to mention no East Asia. Obama’s “New World” looked an awful lot like the old one.
And then, there’s the matter of the Olympics. Both Obama and John McCain are said to be mostly suspending their campaigns during mid August, afraid of competing with this “mega-event.” In truth, the Olympics are no longer serious competition for most anyone’s attention. The candidates can name their vice-presidents, schedule a barnstorming tour, and do pretty much anything they want over the next few weeks, secure in the knowledge that the games of the 29th Olympiad will not be a major diversion. Except for those journalists stuck in Beijing. And, of course, the Chinese.
THE FIELD
Odds
JOHN MCCAIN 6-7 │ this past week: same
BARACK OBAMA 7-6 │ this past week: same
To read the “Presidential Tote Board” blog, go to thePhoenix.com/blog/toteboard. Steven Stark can be reached atsds@starkwriting.com.
