For weeks -- weeks! -- we've waited with bated breath to see who Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez would endorse in the American presidential race. We finally have our answer. 

He likes Obama. "If I were American, I'd vote for Obama," he said in a television interview. The current Venezuelan leader is currently running for re-election himself. His citizens go to the polls on October 7th in what will certainly be an election free of controversy and accusations of corruption. Chavez has spent much of the last year receiving treatment for cancer (that might be worse than Chavez says). He told a Venezuelan television station that he wants to have a "normal" relationship with the U.S. moving forward. Which comes off as strange considering he accused the U.S. of maybe being the reason he got cancer in the first place. Chavez is one of those people you don't want to hear endorse you, and it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine Republicans turning this into an attack ad. To Chavez they're just two guys running for re-election in their respective countries. He can relate to that on a human level, you know? Just two guys in similar situations. 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at connorbsimpson at gmail dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.