As a British citizen residing in Washington DC, I have no vote in Tuesday’s election. (So much for “no taxation without representation”.) If I did, I would cast it for Barack Obama, with reservations.

I understand and share in the excitement that Mr Obama has generated during the course of his campaign. He is an extraordinary politician: instantly likeable, a brilliant speaker, a genuine intellectual, a seeker of consensus, undogmatic, calm, pragmatic and open-minded, with unaffected empathy for the less fortunate. He is the very model of an appealing centre-left leader.

Because of these qualities, he would be a star in US politics if he were white – but he also happens to be black. It arouses accusations of “reverse racism” to point this out, but let us not be squeamish: the fact that he is black is another huge point in his favour.

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