McCain’s Public Dejected as Obama Wins
As the presidential election of Barack Obama was announced Wednesday, some Cambodians said they felt the White House had missed out on 
Cambodian supporters of John McCain were leftupset Wednesday, as his opponent, Barack Obama, won the next USpresidency. Obama supporters, meanwhile, celebrated. "I appreciate Barack Obama's win in the election, because hewas determined to eliminate the American and global economic crisis, andstrengthen peace in the world," said Sary Phirum, a 25-year-old universitystudent. She hoped the relationship between Cambodian and the US would improve under Obama, who spent part ofhis childhood in Indonesia,and the administration would support education and democracy, "especially thepoverty Cambodiahas met." Her support of Obama was tempered by the dejection of otherswho had hoped for McCain, who has particular importance in Cambodia thanksto his Vietnam War record and attention to Southeast Asian issues. "I am very pitiful and regretful for John McCain's losingthe White House," said Seng Rithy, 36, a staff member at an import-exportcompany. "His loss of the White House is the loss of the man with experience inpolitics, economy and security for the UnitedStates and the world, because John McCain has the war experiencein the history of Vietnam,especially the history of struggle of arms and opinion in the US senate andthe military." Ang Chanrith, president of the advocacy group KhmerKampuchea Krom for Human Rights, said he was "very disappointed" at the loss ofMcCain. "If John McCain had won the presidency, we think the respectof human rights and the freedom of the Kampuchea Krom people in south Vietnamwould have been improved," he said. "John McCain has the war experience andexperience in Vietnam,and he knows the Kampuchea Krom plight." Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committeefor Free and Fair Elections, said he would have preferred McCain. "Barack Obama really has lower experience than John McCain,but when Barack Obama wins the presidency, he should really use his clevernessin political, economic and security affairs to lead the United States and the world topeace and prosperity." There was little lamentation among foreign Obama supportersWednesday, as they gathered to watch the race results at Phnom Penh's Foreign Correspondents Club.Loud cheers and screams erupted as Obama's victory—with 338 of a needed 270electoral votes—was announced. "We were expecting this, but to see it actual happen is adream come true," said an elated Matt Grieger, an employee at a constructioncompany. "Moving on after eight failed years of failed economic policy [and]the Republicans, we're now moving in the right direction, a new direction. It'sall hope and change from here."