all over the world, candidates are annexing obama's rhetoric, as in this contentful flourish from karzai's main challenger in afghanistan:

“I have no doubt that people want change,” Dr. Abdullah said in an interview after a tumultuous day campaigning in Herat, in western Afghanistan, adding that his momentum was just building. “Today they are hopeful that change can come.”

now afghanistan has been extremely volatile and fluid for decades. one might try promising stability. but i have no doubt that abdullah is all "hope" and "yes, we can." let me just say that in a few years these particular little balloons will have floated into the ether and popped. they're not exactly geared for the campaigns of incumbents.