[Be_my_nude]

So - ignoring all the somewhat petty imperialist / anti-imperialist sniping rampant in the first half of this thread, it seems to me that projected image supported by selective ' facts ' is the principal Driver of Western politicians today, not any true or honest virtues that they may possess. ' Honest Abe ' is an anachronism and a fantasy in today political world. So we get more and more headline-grabbers, ambtious politicians who ' talk the good talk', but when it comes to ' walking the good walk ' they are very much found wanting and only cover up their own incompetence and ineptitude by the reckless compounding of promises upon promises, none or few of which are delivered.
Tony Blair in the UK of the ready smile and bountiful bag of political hot air is a prime example, and those who have followed him without the advantage of charm even more so. What little I know of Obama makes him equally as unknown a quantity. IF he gets elected he will a hard job to maintain integrity with progress. But what do we Brits know except what we read in the Gutter Press and in Forums ?