American politics is the talk of the town and very crucial at this stage because the world is watching every step of the way any development in the up-coming presidential election. Would the next American president be the new face from the African-American minority group - Barak Obama - or veteran Republican John McCain?   

With the Democrats holding their national convention in Denver, Colorado, this week, to nominate the senator from Illinois along with Joseph Biden, his chosen running mate, some Lao-Americans who are now more interested in politics and getting more and more involved, have expressed their support for the

Sen. Barack Obama, (r), and Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, 27 Aug 2008

Democratic nominees whom they think should lead this nation in the next four years. They are attracted by Obama’s promise for “change.”

Two fellow Laotian-Americans,  Oudone Sirikool of Virginia and Calvin Cau Baccam of Iowa, discussed with VOA their preferences for Barak Obama over John McCain.

“I will pick Obama,” says Oudone, “ because he is young and I think he will bring some new ideas and changes.”  

Calvin Cau Baccam, who holds a masters’ degree in political sciences and has been quite active in the political arena of Iowa, having campaign for its governor, agrees, adding,  “It’s true that the Republican Party is very strong in foreign policy, but for us

Republican presidential candidate John McCain

Laotian-Americans who are a small minority group, I think that Obama will be a better choice, because his policies have more to offer to us than the Republican candidate, such as in the areas of human rights, minority rights, health care and others.”

Calvin also urges fellow Laotian-Americans across the nation to go out and vote for the Democrats or whoever they think will be a better leader of the country.

In response to VOA’s question about lifting the ban on offshore oil dealing, of which Obama was first in favor but later changed his mind, both Oudone and Calvin agreed with Obama’s decision because, they said,  "using imported oil from other countries would help preserve the environment in our country."

For more of Oudone’s and Calvin’s comments in Lao, please listen to our audio files.