Although I’m not an American citizen and have no direct interest in the next generation presidential candidates, I can’t help but opine and speculate on such an interesting battle. Hillary Clinton represents the establishment, bringing with her brand-name recognition from the previous Clinton. Indeed, her campaign is just the Clinton campaign, but with “Hillary” tacked on. Barack Obama, on the other hand, has a fresh look with which he hopes to woo the Blu states.

On the issues, Obama has tied his campaign to opposition to the occupation of Iraq, betting his success on popular dissatisfaction with the incumbent administration. He is hoping that media coverage of the disaster in Iraq will act as free advertising, effectively getting his campaign into the nation’s living rooms for free. Clinton, who voted for the war, has remained on the fence, preferring to campaign on other issues like the low cost of her healthcare plan and the ease with which the current healthcare system can be upgraded.

However, despite their fierce battle for the nomination, only a tiny number of Americans have voted. These are the primaries we’re talking about, so it’s the early-electors who decide for the rest of the country which candidate will go up against the Republicans, although there are always allegations that it’s not actually the voters and delegates who decide, but instead large retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart who ultimately pull the strings. Even the candidates themselves have been known to upset the funding balance using their own chequebooks - Hillary Clinton recently loaned her own campaign $5m. In my opinion, it is of paramount importance that campaigns are funded through grassroots support, not big-money back-room bribes.

What’s more, the actual differences between the two are minor. Both their reform programmes will cost more than the current administration’s policies (at least at first), both support the same restrictions on basic freedoms, and both will receive backing from Hollywood.

Personally, my money’s on Obama, with his greater capacity and built-in support from the anti-war platform, though even if he defeats Clinton and becomes the next president, he and others like him will face an ever-fiercer battle with the RonTorrent.