PARIS, February 5, 2008 - American Democrats in Paris turned out en masse
Tuesday for a chance to shape the battle between rivals Barack Obama and
Hillary Clinton in the US "Super Tuesday" primaries.
   John Whitbeck, 61, who turned out to vote at the American Church on the
left bank of the River Seine, said he had left the United States 32 years ago
- but was voting for a dramatic change in US foreign policy.
   "All that matters to me is American foreign policy: that it should be much
better than it has been for many years -- not just the George W. Bush
administration but many years."
   French-based Democrats were called out to vote Tuesday in Paris and
southwestern Toulouse, and can cast ballots in other French cities until the
end of the week.
   Joseph Smallhoover, president of Democrats Abroad in France said "the level
of excitement is really quite extraordinary" among the estimated 150,000
Americans living in France.
   "We had new members joining at the rate of one per second earlier this
week," he said.
   "The Democrats living outside the country really want to see the end of
Bush-Cheney and this is the first step in that and also the fact we've got two
very great candidates to help do that: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
   "What more could you want?
   But 48-year-old Behnaz Mahdavi, also voting in Paris, said she had faced
"the hardest" decision.
   "I've been thinking for weeks and the more I think about it, the more I
want both of them. So, I don't know -- I voted for one of them but I'm hoping
to get both of them together."
   "Hillary's going to be president," burst out another woman voter. "I'll do
everything I can to make sure Hillary gets in office. I wanna see her kick
McCain's ass!"
   John McCain enjoys a commanding lead over his rivals in the battle for the
Republican nomination while polls show the Democratic race a neck-and-neck
struggle between Clinton and Obama.
   "I'm really excited," said 25-year-old Salina, a young Franco-American
woman, as she prepared to cast her ballot for Obama. "I think he has a chance
to go to the White House."
   Voting for expat Democrats is taking place across the world until February
12, as well as online, with a total of 11 votes at stake for the Democratic
Party convention that will eventually choose its candidate.
   "Super Tuesday" states account for more than half the Democratic delegates
and almost half of Republican delegates for their party conventions later this
year, which formally nominate candidates for November's presidential vote.

AFP