Democrat battle : view from a Brit in India

The beaches of Goa are a bit like the United Nations, so many pepople from around the world, so many ambassadors of peace. They mostly seem lovely wise souls who will probably one day run companies and countries.

Meanwhile in the US a very real battle continues, the ultimate in a way.

And it is a battle which - if the Clintons push it too hard, could perhaps split the Democratic party in two.

Obama brings with him links with the black world, with the Islamic world, and the Arab world, who generally prefer to deal with men, with Kenya and Africa, with American hard working Christians and young people. He served his community as a lawyer while Hillary sat on the board of Walmart. People of all ages and backgrounds can relate to him. He bridges all of these groups, and the British, the Indians - in fact everyone I speak to seems to like him too.

He reminds me of that old notion of the Southern Gentleman - the best kind of American - refined and in control of all their faculties, and able to use them to create and sustain peace - I cannot imagine him acting in a manner which was not courteus. This seems vital at a time where American diplomacy is so low the country is close to being ignored from the world stage as all but a big and rich consumer market.

Hilary, on the other hand brings a bridge with, erm, Bill Clinton.

And a campaign which seems from across the pond as being built on destorying the credibility of the most credible presidential candidate in memory. He may bring no experience, but is this not his greatest asset?. He understands the needs of the people who work hard each day. He does not know how to pull strings in the coridoors of power. He doesn't need to. He will be president.

Please Bill, encourage Hillary to drop out. Now is not her time. She will make a great president and a female president is a glorious goal, and worth fighting full power for when the time is right. But not against her own party. With the opposition, when her own party is unable to offer a more suitable candidate. In many ways, Obama, because of the peace he may be able to create with the Muslim, black and working class communities is already a good 30 years too late.

And besides, vice president would be a great way of ensuring there is no way the Republicans could beat the strong 'Ready from day one' position in 2012 or 2016. I don't think Obama's peace keeping and uniting abilities will be needed for long, and once things settle down a bit, someone with huge political know-how will be very useful to keep the peace. But right now the world not only wants, but needs, Hope.

And my impression from these multicultural souls in Goa, in spite of the drunks, and the loud mouths and the politically ignorant, is that there is a faint suspicion, a glimmer of hope. Not just of a new Black American president, but of ever growing peace.

If anyone is unsure - have a look at the extract from Obama's book Hope at Time.