'RP-US ties to stay strong whoever wins in polls'

WASHINGTON – No matter who wins in November, US ties with the Philippines, one of only two US treaty allies in Southeast Asia – the other is Thailand – will likely remain strong and on course, political analysts here said.

Charles Morrison, head of the East-West Center, said the pressure of dealing with the paramount issue of the economy suggested both Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama would hold a relatively steady course on the basics of US foreign policy.

“There will be one clear change: the atmosphere abroad will be more positive. Right now, the US standing in the world is low. Either president would start with a honeymoon on the domestic side and excitement on the international side,” he said.

The East-West Center is a Honolulu-based research organization established by the US Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the US.

Political analysts said unless he does extremely well in their third and final debate on Oct. 15, McCain seems headed for defeat.

Many polls suggest the results are a foregone conclusion and the only question is will Obama’s victory be by a landslide or will it be a close race.

There are no statistics on the political persuasion of Filipino-Americans and it is not known how they will vote on Nov. 4.

According to the 2000 Census, there are about three million Filipino-Americans, many of them in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Texas and Florida and they can play a deciding role in tight congressional races.