Who is slated to win the closely fought US elections? It is a million dollar question. The result will be known by Wednesday evening in India

There was a time in the history of US when extending an invitation to an African American to a White House dinner would itself be considered an outrage. Now, an African American is on the threshold of occupying it. Yes, Barack Obama is within reach of making history. Wait. The seventy-two year old Republican McCain still holds out hope for a dramatic upset.

An important factor of the epic campaign was that the Republicans didn't use President Bush at all for campaigning. In fact at every possible occasion, McCain tried to distance himself from Bush. In a debate, he openly told Obama, 'If you wanted to contest Bush, you should have done that four years back'. McCain is aware of the impact of Bush's eight years of failed economy and the lingering war. He has the entire negative burden to carry. Yet, his poise, sharp sense of humour and first hand knowledge of the international situation give him an edge over Obama.

When, at the beginning of the electoral campaign, there were some incendiary remarks about race, Obama said: 'The anger is real. It is powerful, and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.'

That is why I referred to the history in the making.

Then you have Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Their role in the campaign and their impact in the Presidential election cannot be ignored.

Considering every aspect of this complex state of affairs and my limited knowledge of the American psyche, I would rather put my money on McCain. I wish I were wrong.

History In The Making - I