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Jan 14, 2008
Who could be the next US President? Don't know, don't care
By Jessica Lim
DESPITE the United States presidential race dominating headlines and air-time here, there are Singapore students who think Bill is Hillary Clinton's father.

The Straits Times polled 60 students aged between 15 and 26 for their take on the US elections, and found that nearly two-thirds just 'do not care'.

The outcome of the elections could substantially impact the global economy and politics - and, of course, Singapore (see box).

Even then, 20 per cent of those surveyed said they had better things to do, while 7 per cent said it would not make a difference to them who won.

A whopping 73 per cent said it would not concern them at all.

Five, in fact, think Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden are brothers. Another 18 said they 'were not sure' or 'did not know'. Three even thought Obama is a woman.

Ajun Mah, 17, who is taking his O levels privately, said it was more important to play his 'guitar and hang out with friends'.

Jim Soon Jianwen, 17, who is waiting for his O-level results, said: 'I am not exposed to how it can affect Singapore's economy and I do not see the link between the US and Singapore now.'

The former Punggol Secondary student was stumped when asked if Barack Obama was a man or a woman. He also said George W. Bush was not running for President this time because he was 'guilty about the Iraq war and the human lives that were wasted'.

Only 14 young people knew the reason: US presidents are not allowed to serve more than two terms.

Other false assumptions: That Hillary Clinton is a man, and that former actor and current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had won the recent Iowa caucuses.

National University of Singapore Associate Professor Ian Gordon reckons that this non-reaction to the superpower's election process might be because 'American politics seems very distant from their daily lives'.

This lack of interest is less worrying in younger than university-aged young adults, said Prof Gordon, who is the NUS Convenor of American Studies.

He noted that the specifics of world events tend to elude younger teens, who develop an interest in world events only as they grow older.

Going by this newspaper's quick poll, there is cause for concern.

Disturbingly, 33 of the 60 students surveyed - who are between 18 and 26 - fared only slightly better than their younger counterparts.

Consider this: Of those aged 15 to 17, three got Obama's gender wrong, 14 tagged John Edwards to the wrong party, and four think Hillary and Bill Clinton are siblings.

The 18-to-26 age group? None thought Obama is a woman, while 13 said John Edwards is Republican.

And three think Hillary and Bill Clinton are siblings.

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