Close up: Presidential hopefuls By Salama A Salama As the start of the presidential race approaches, the number of presidential hopefuls has dramatically risen. Some candidates have been around since the beginning, such as Amr Moussa, Abdel-Moneim Abul- Fotouh, Selim El-Awwa, Hamdeen Sabahi, Hazem Abu Ismail and Abdallah El-Ashaal. Some, like Mohamed El-Baradei, have dropped out, while others, like Ahmed Shafik and Mahmoud Sherif, have just joined. Each of the candidates has his own reasons to run. This being the first truly competitive presidential elections in the country, it will be up to the people to choose the man they think is best for the job. Something, however, is missing. The candidates should have set some standards for the manner of campaigning. Running for president is not like running for parliament or local councils, and the campaigning should be different too. The candidates have diverse backgrounds, but none of them is a stranger to public life. Some worked with the old regime, some had close encounters with that regime, pleasant or unpleasant. And all have years of expertise in one field or another. But, among them, there is not one young candidate. I cannot see anyone who is close in age to the revolutionaries. Not one candidate is under 50, which is odd in a country where the majority of the population is younger than 40. So let's admit it: regardless of who wins, the next president is going to be too old to connect with the young and share their aspirations. All of this is admittedly a new experience. It is a new ballgame, one for which the rules of engagement have not been written. Some of the candidates depend on the support of religious figures. Abul-Fotouh, for example, has the declared support of Sheikh El-Qaradawi. Consequently, other candidates, who are no less competent than Abul- Fotouh, are at a disadvantage because of El-Qaradawi's endorsement. Already, a tone of arrogance has crept into Abul-Fotouh's rhetoric. He just accused Ahmed Shafik of being unfit to any position higher than a municipality mayor. This is an unfortunate remark, and if more were to follow, then the presidential race may turn ugly. Then you get the candidates who brag of their connections with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Shafik, for example, said that he decided to run for president after consultations with SCAF head Hussein Tantawi. This remark may come back to haunt him, for presidential candidates are supposed to follow their beliefs, not wait for the approval of others. The only candidate with indisputable charisma is Amr Moussa, who has smartly distanced himself from special interests. Moussa has been campaigning in the American style, listening to all, talking to all, and staying at equal distance from everyone. He also has many friends abroad, which may boost his appeal. Sabahi has been relying on the loyalties of the Nasserists and on clan support in the northern parts of the Delta. Abu Ismail, meanwhile, has relied heavily on the support of the Islamists, but doesn't seem yet to have their undivided endorsement. Mahmoud Sharif, former minister of local government, may be the black horse in the race. He has an impressive record as a public servant and may still have friends in various syndicates and cooperatives, but is this enough to win the race? Surprises are to be expected, political fortunes are bound to change, and some of the above candidates may even drop out in the middle of the race.
