Americans in Asia hold breath, but mock polls pick Kerry

Americans in Asia hold breath, but mock polls pick Kerry

Shaun Tandon,
Agence France-Presse/Tokyo

Americans in Asia kept a nervous eye on Wednesday on the see-
sawing election results from home half a world away, but John
Kerry was assured of at least one victory as he swept a series of
mock polls held throughout the region.

With the U.S. Election Day ritual of late-night returns pushed
into the day by the time-zone difference, Americans who could get
off work -- and non-Americans interested in the vote -- headed to
clubs to agonize over the bitterly fought contest.

In Tokyo, where offices were closed for a national holiday,
Americans of all political persuasions packed into pubs, unsure
whether to drink in celebration or sorrow amid conflicting signs
whether George W. Bush or John Kerry was ahead.

"We're going to be here for hours" said Doug Hardy, an
economics teacher in Tokyo active with Republicans Abroad. "We're
ahead, but it's going to be close."

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, Mast
Irham, a 26-year-old photographer, said he would like to see
Kerry defeat Bush as he seems "to be more cautious in forming his
foreign policies".

"If Bush wins, things will not change for the better for
Indonesian Muslims or other Muslims across the world," Irham
said.

In Bangkok, hundreds of Americans and curious Thais gathered
in the ballroom of the U.S.-run JW Marriott Hotel munching on
American favorites like waffles, sausages and grilled ham beneath
a ceiling decorated with red, white and blue bunting.

"This is so stressful!" Kerry supporter Jennifer Gampbell said
as she saw gains for Bush.

Hoping to educate Thais about the U.S. election process,
visitors cast mock ballots and U.S. officials mingled through the
crowd wearing badges saying, "Ask me about U.S. election."

Life-sized cutouts of Kerry and Bush stood on opposite sides
of a podium, as Thai students got their pictures taken with the
cardboard Democrat.

"This is a democracy in action," U.S. Ambassador to Thailand
Darryl Johnson told AFP, predicting the result would be "very
close."

Kerry triumphed among wholly unrepresentative electorates in
mock polls held in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.

"Americans abroad tend to vote differently than Americans
inside the United States," said Adam Sitkoff, Vietnam country
coordinator for Americans abroad for Kerry.

"And this year, the parties have given lots of attention to
people living outside the U.S.," he said.

Douglas Kerr, who is from the crucial swing state of Ohio and
works in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, said 2004 was "the most
exciting election I've ever known" because it was so close.

"There are a lot of aid workers here. Living overseas gives
them a different perspective on U.S. foreign policy and they are
concerned about the way the U.S. is perceived internationally.
Most are strongly in favor of John Kerry," he said.

Shambhavi Tanir, a 16-year-old taking part in a mock vote at
the star-spangled polling booth American Center in New Delhi, had
a different reason for supporting Kerry.

"I'm so excited to have voted for Kerry. He's absolutely
gorgeous," she gushed.

But He Qiuju, an editor for the Women of China magazine,
picked Bush in a mock election in Beijing.

"I have a feeling that he would be better. He went to war, he
wanted to go to war and maybe that's not so good for world peace
but I still support Bush. I know nothing about Kerry or his
policy for China."

Gai Qing, a Chinese writer and social critic, said she was
excited at watching democracy in action in a communist country.

"I think this is great. It just shows how important it is to
vote and to be able to vote," she said.

But regardless of partisan leanings, the election was also a
time for Americans to see one another, as in Hong Kong where
hundreds watched the returns together over hamburgers and
doughnuts.

"This is an opportunity for the American community to get
together in unity," said Patty McNally, a volunteer at the Hong
Kong event.