From a web usability expert in Sao Paulo:

I have talked to a dozen people about the US election including university students, journalists, friends from my childhood and some colleagues in the IT and internet field. None would vote for McCain. Most are pro-Obama, though they don’t know very well what to expect from him.

All agree that most Brazilians are not tuned in on the election. When I asked Juarez, an engineer on his forties, which candidate he would prefer, he answered: “Whatever, I don't even pull for any Brazilian football team, let alone an American candidate!”

Even with lack of interest, most of the people I’ve talked to prefer Obama. Pedrosa, an IT director, believes an Obama election will represent “a paradigm shift for a racist country to have a black president.”

“I sympathize more with him, besides he is the opposite of Bush and the fact of having the first black American president pleases me,” said Rodrigo, a young university student.

Young Rodrigo’s colleagues prefer Obama too. Rafael says that it is “because I’m aligned with his proposals much more than with McCain’s proposals.” For his friend Natalia, it's a question of ideology: “Even though Obama is less left-wing than I think he should be, at least he is not a totally conservative candidate, so I hope he wins.”

José points the fact that “McCain represents the continuity of Bush era, attending the interests of the arms industry and the American oil companies, but Obama... who knows what he is going to do?”

Humberto, a civil engineer, says that “Brazilian government has not given yet a sign with whom it would be better to negotiate our interests, but in global terms I believe it would be better to change the way we deal with environmental issues and economic resources with Barack Obama.”

Young and old, my friends still try to follow the news because they believe the US election affects all countries, including Brazil. Wilza, a researcher, says, “Everything that happens in the USA reflects on other countries, specially in Brazil.”

In this context Obama seems to be a more humanitarian candidate, a more sensible person, more willing to dialogue, but he is still an unknown. José is skeptical about the changes for Brazil: “With Obama or McCain, the USA will maintain the protectionist policy (e.g., on agriculture) and depending on how this crisis evolves, this protectionism will grow even more.”

Can this election change the view Brazilians have of the USA? Yes, says Mario, a young journalist, “if Obama becomes the president and the country regains its leadership through dialogue, policy competence and economy strength; not through the power of weapons.”

Douglas, an IT specialist agrees: “Yes, this election can change the view I have of USA because if the Americans elect McCain after the Bush era, which has generated economic crisis, wars and an even worse image of America in the world, this is a sign that the American people are even more alienated and stupid than I thought they could be.”