US Presidential Election; China-US Relations
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN HOST: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the program. I'm Christiane Amanpour. Whenever Americans elect a president in the United States, the whole world watches with bated breath. How will this affect us, they ask? Indeed, as the joke goes, people around the world believe they should also have a say about who becomes the leader of the only superpower. But it is Americans who are voting and though Tuesday is Election Day, already long lines stretch across the country as people have started casting their ballots in early voting. According to CNN's latest polls, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are tied in the popular vote. But here in the United States it's the Electoral College that counts, the complex system that weighs voting by states, not by the total number of votes that Americans cast. And in that tally, the president is said to be leading Mitt Romney. But, of course, the outcome is far from certain. Also unclear: will American foreign policy change no matter who wins? In the only foreign policy debate between the two men, Mitt Romney had harsh words for the president's handling of key crises around the world.</s>FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY, R-MASS., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You look at the record of the last four years and say, is Iran closer to a bomb? Yes. Is the Middle East in tumult? Yes. Is al Qaeda on the run, on its heels? No. Are Israel and the Palestinians closer to reaching a peace agreement? No. They haven't had talks in two years.</s>AMANPOUR: But in another debate, President Obama said that he had delivered on key foreign policy promises.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not everybody agrees with some of the decisions I've made. But when it comes to our national security, I mean what I say. I said I'd end the war in Libya -- in Iraq, and I did. I said that we'd go after Al Qaeda and bin Laden. We have. I said we'd transition out of Afghanistan and start making sure that Afghans are responsible for their own security. That's what I'm doing.</s>AMANPOUR: In a moment, I'll speak with someone who knows exactly how tough it is to make foreign policy priorities and decisions, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. But first, a look at some of the other election stories that we're covering around the world.</s>AMANPOUR (voice-over): Two brave women, worlds apart; two brave voices for democracy. When casting a vote could cost you your life. And after the election comes the constitution. In Tunisia, they're inspired by the Arab Spring. In the state of Alabama, they've been writing one for 100 years, and still haven't got it right.</s>AMANPOUR: We'll get to that in a bit. But first, Madeleine Albright appreciates America's foreign policy challenges better than just about anyone. She served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and as secretary of state under President Bill Clinton. She was the first in a long line of distinguished women who have now served in that position. And in May, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. Secretary Albright, thank you very much for joining me.</s>MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: It's great to be with you, Christiane. Thank you.</s>AMANPOUR: So the all-important question that everybody around the world is really on tenterhooks waiting to know: how will American foreign policy change no matter who's elected?</s>ALBRIGHT: Well, if President Obama's reelected, which I expect, I think that he will continue to pursue a policy in which America's strength is evident by how we operate in an increasingly complex world with partners. I think that he has been quite remarkable in the way that he has understood the issues that are out there for us to deal with that really do require partnership. And as you said, or as the president had said, he has done the things that he said he would do, which is end the war in Iraq, move to get us out of Afghanistan and deal with Osama bin Laden. He also, I think, understands that there are an awful lot of other issues out there that require American engagement. He did say we were the indispensible nation and that we will do that in partnership with others. So I think there will be a continuation of the policy with President Obama. I'm more concerned if there should be a President Romney, because it's very hard to figure out exactly what he stands for. I think he has said, for instance, that Russia is our number one geostrategic problem, which made sense for the 20th century, but makes no sense in the 21st. And he's changed his mind on so many issues. So I am more concerned about that.</s>AMANPOUR: Well, let me get to those points. And you bring up the indispensable nation. Of course, you are the one who coined that, so I'm sure it brings a smile to your face when the President of the United States says that. But let me ask you, traditionally, when an American president is reelected, there's this idea of a second term freedom. There's this idea that they could perhaps pursue certain policies that perhaps they couldn't have done in a first term. And to that regard, I would like to play this sound bite. It was a hot mike recording between President Obama and President Medvedev of Russia.</s>OBAMA (from captions): This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility. I understand you.</s>DMITRY MEDVEDEV, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: I transmit this information to Vladimir, and I stand with you.</s>AMANPOUR: All right. So discussing with the Russian president how he would have more flexibility. What precisely do you think he means? And when you talk about priorities in a second term, where do you think they should be?</s>ALBRIGHT: Well, I think the president, you know, had moved forward on a New START treaty and was in the wake of having worked that through the Senate. I think that what the president understands is that one of the issues out there is how to have cooperation with Russia on the various parts of nuclear agreements that are not yet finished. So I think he understands, as I said earlier, that he has to cooperate with a number of different countries. I do think that one of the things where there will be something different and it's already a beginning of that is what has now been called the rebalancing to Asia, a genuine understanding that the United States is an Atlantic as well as a Pacific power, and that we have to deal with a rising China that is both a friend and a -- in some ways a competitor. And the various aspects to do with that and the fact that so many people really live in Asia and that we have to spend a lot of time dealing with that. So I think that will be very much a part of a second term of an Obama administration.</s>AMANPOUR: And that, of course, is also up for debate in questioning, not just how America will deal with China, but how China will deal with the United States. There is a new Chinese leadership election a couple of days after the American election. And I want to read you something that presumed new president of China said a couple of years ago on one of his foreign trips. Xi Jinping said, "There are a few foreigners with full bellies who have nothing better to do than try to point the finger at our country. China does not export revolution, hunger, poverty nor does China cause you any headaches. Just what else do you want from us?" said Xi Jinping a few years ago. Just what does the United States want from China?</s>ALBRIGHT: I think that we want to have a relationship in which there's some cooperation on a variety of our economic issues that we have to deal with. I think we want China to play a responsible role globally because they are out there in many ways resource-hungry, looking for various areas where they can have an influence. But as I said earlier, the United States wants to have other countries be partners in solving some of the problems that we have abroad. I think what we don't want to see is a real escalation of problems in the South China Sea and we would like to see a cooperation in terms of dealing with some of the territorial issues. What I find interesting was Xi Jinping was in the United States. We had a -- some of us had a small dinner with him. And I think he was looking for ways to build on the long-term relationship that's existed with China and see where the areas are that we can cooperate. And I think that's what we're going to be looking for also.</s>AMANPOUR: Well, of course, the Chinese could be forgiven for thinking that the United States is simply throwing rhetoric and harsh words at them. Both President Obama and Mitt Romney have thrown around harsh words at China during this election campaign. Do you think that's just the election?</s>ALBRIGHT: Well, I think we do understand that our economic relationship with China is complicated and the issue is, you know, while we're talking about national security, for a lot of people voting tomorrow and in the early election, are questions about jobs and what our economic relationship is with China. But -- and President Obama has made clear that he wants to see fair trade going forward and really a way of doing with that, not -- I mean, frankly, when you were asking what would happen with Governor Romney, he said he would declare China a currency manipulator on the first day. He hasn't told us what would happen on the second day, because that would really cause a major rift.</s>AMANPOUR: Well, Governor Romney has also said -- and we played it in that debate, that Iran is four years closer to a nuclear bomb. There's been no progress with Iran except for very harsh sanctions that this administration has leveled on Iran. But no progress in the idea of controlling their nuclear program. What should a President Obama or a President Romney do to try to resolve this peacefully?</s>ALBRIGHT: Well, there's no doubt that Iran poses a major problem for the international community. And what President Obama's been able to do is to, in fact, put in these very tough multilateral sanctions and work towards isolating Iran internationally, which other presidents have not been able to do, and to then also make clear something that is very important. He has said that Iran -- he would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and that containment is not enough of a policy and that he hasn't taken any option off the table; whereas Governor Romney has made it sound as, first of all, he hasn't made clear what he's talking about, whether it's a way of having nuclear potential or whatever word he uses, but he also makes it sound as if we're ready to go to war with Iran. And I think that's dangerous just to have that as a flat-out policy. And President Obama is working with the international community to see whether there isn't some negotiating path while not taking any option off the table.</s>AMANPOUR: And very briefly, the Middle East peace process, no movement for a couple of years. Mitt Romney said in the debates, it's -- or he said that it's a problem that will remain unsolved. Does the next United States president have to reenergize that and restart that process?</s>ALBRIGHT: Well, first of all, the Israelis are having an election in January themselves. That will determine a lot about what their position is. And I do think that it's something that has to be on the second term agenda. But in the end, the United States can't dictate terms. And so I think it is important to reenergize that and I hope very much that both the parties, the Israelis and the Palestinians, will be prepared to move forward.</s>AMANPOUR: Secretary Albright, thank you very much for joining me.</s>ALBRIGHT: Great to be with you, Christiane, as always.</s>AMANPOUR: Thank you. And, of course, Secretary Albright doesn't just have an eye on the U.S. elections and foreign policy. She's also part of a commission that advises on fair and free elections around the world. When we return, a look at two women at the forefront of that fight in their own countries. But before we take a break, here on the East Coast of the United States, they continue to feel the devastation of superstorm Sandy.</s>AMANPOUR (voice-over): Just look at the latest cover of "New York" magazine, showing, really, a tale of two cities, flooding knocked out power in Lower Manhattan, while in the northern part of Manhattan, electricity continued flowing. Lights came back on this weekend in some areas. But now many people will face another storm this week without heat or electricity. And you can take another look at this remarkable picture at amanpour.com/Facebook. We'll be right back.