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So what are the differences and similarities between Barack Obama and John McCain?

In part one of a four part series examining Barak Obama's presidential campaign, Real News senior editor Paul Jay asks Aijaz Ahmed, senior analyst and political commentator, just this question.

(Written story continues below)

According to Ahmed, there are two main areas in which Obama differs from his opponent, and he explains what these differentiations will mean for the campaign, and beyond. 

The first area of differentiation lies within a cultural context. Abiding racism in some parts of the U.S. will continue to impede Obama's campaign as misinformation about Obama spreads.

While the U.S./ has seen African Americans in high-level governmental roles before now, Obama is the first progressive, Democratic candidate, poised to flout the imperialist objectives of a conservative ruling party, Ahmed says.

In the face of racism and fallacious cultural assumptions, Obama must remember to stay out of a defensive posture, to draw light to the second, and far more important issue: economic policy.

"The real question would be: is there going to be an Obama presidency which turns American economy into a productive economy led by real investments in social infrastructure, infrastructures of various kinds?"  says Ahmed.

He asks: Will an Obama presidency drive the economy "away from the oil-weapon dollar corporations which were the ruling and dominant part of the American economy that were driving the Bush-Cheney crowd"?

TheRealNews.com is an independent news network that produces stories of global interest. 

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