US Features
Americans ride feel-good wave after Obama victory
Nov 8, 2008, 6:31 GMT
City of Chicago banner celebration For Barack Obama. © Adam Bielawski / PR Photos
Warsaw - For the first time in eight years, Magdalena Jensen feels proud to be American.
Before Barack Obama won the US presidential election, the Polish-American was quick to play up her European heritage when she met Poles.
Associating herself with Poland 'helped 100 per cent' when making friends. But when Jensen introduced herself as American, she was constantly asked what she thought of President George W Bush.
Now Jensen, a US journalist based in Warsaw, thinks Europeans will warm up to Americans and view them in a friendlier light.
'I now hope to have instead of Bush-bashing conversations, some actual intelligent conversations,' she said.
Obama's victory, driven by US voters desperate for change after the Bush years, gave the rest of the world a chance to feel good about the United States again.
People across the globe sent US friends glowing congratulations. Others expressed surprise that the United States elected a black president.
Change, indeed. For most of the decade, Americans abroad were berated about 'your president' and the war Bush started in Iraq. The United States' image plunged to historic lows. Diehards refused to travel to the US, citing Bush's policies.
Poland was a good example on a continent that once depended on US military might to defend it against the Soviets and lapped up American culture after World War II.
Poles idolized the US as the land of freedom when Lech Walesa's Solidarity labor union, which helped bring down communism in the 1980s, printed a cowboy on its posters and made a hero of then president Ronald Reagan.
With Bush's presidency, the Iraq war and the US-spawned global financial crisis, America lost much of its mystique. Americans abroad say they've felt the tension as Europeans grew unfriendly.
'I noticed a general trend that Europeans have chosen to keep a distance with Americans on a social level,' said Phil Goss, an American working for Polish television. 'Maybe that trend will reverse now.'
Europeans' widely-held belief that the US is a racist place was bolstered by last month's arrest of two Tennessee neo-Nazis who allegedly plotted to assassinate Obama.
As the first black president-elect, Obama punched a hole in that notion on Tuesday.
'People had stereotypes like that about America, and it's nice to have those stereotypes slightly altered,' Goss said.
Not only are the stereotypes changing, but the US is becoming a country Europeans can like again.
In Paris, student Sontia Nkenkeu-Kelk, 16, was all enthusiastic.
'Because of Obama's success, I now want to specialize in American affairs,' she said.
Others were more wary. A Serbian intellectual recalled rejoicing at Bill Clinton's election, only to see him push for NATO to bomb Belgrade in the 1999 war over Kosovo.
'If (Obama) introduces health insurance for everybody in the US, he will be one of the greatest presidents ever,' he said.
While the Democratic senator from Illinois is not without his critics, many agree his victory is a chance to rebuild America's standing abroad.
'Obama's election will give the US a new image in the world,' said Pap Ndiaye, a French historian specializing in black and US history. 'It is a great stroke of communication.'
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Older Talkback
page: 1
This financial crisis didn't exactly happen over night, so it's not gonna be fixed over night. So put your big girl panties on and deal with it. And I think no matter what happens Lancelot will be negative alot.
It is amazing how the faithful will continuously be lead like blind rats.
Show me the plan that works. That is all I ask and it is a very reasonable request.
So far, all I see are groupies defending their savior, and a savior that promises to part the red sea, but does not promise reality.
Any year, including this year, is a good time to finalize a balanced budget and stick to it.
LOL LOL LOL
It is amazing how many posters put me down for requesting a plan that includes a balanced budget.
It is as if the posters (groupies of either Bush or Obama) are trying to bleed more red ink into the budget. They are kicking and screaming so as to not have to deal with the reality of a balanced budget.
The reason for the huge financial crisis is now apparent: It is you, the posters that are groupies that do not demand accountability from themselves (in the case of bad mortgages, etc.) or their elected leaders.
I demand accountability NOW.
'LOL LOL LOL':
The good news (for you) is that you are not alone in your stupidity.
The bad news (for me) is that you are not alone in your stupidity.
There are millions just like you, groupies, that will do anything to spend money any way you can, including being belligerent and condescending.
Lets met up in one year and compare the national debt now to what it will be in a year.
Then we shall see who laughs and who does not, who is right and who is not.
Credit-holics. The biggest idiots on the face of the earth. They literally steal money from their own babies.
Oh My, the majority of those who voted last week are feeling euphoric!....how nice!......Remember boys and girls out there...The OATH OF OFFICE lies just ahead and around the corner......B.O. had better start thinking more and speaking a LOT less and say these words honestly..... ....'and defend (this nation) from ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC...'
and if he does not show muscle where it's needed (Including vs. al Maliki in Iraq...and the clowns running the shows in Iran and Syria....)he will be the laughing stock inside every parlaiment in Europe, Asia, ...and even Africa.....Remember voters ...Charity begins at home and protecting the United States better be high on B.O.'s priorities.
Honestly, I don't think B.O. has any wisdom in this area and he's going to be nothing more than a pretty mouthpiece for liberalism in a world that needs just the opposite right now. His inexperience will show up loudly and I hope the media ponces on him.
Raised in NYC:
I agree with you. Why cut him any more slack then (I did) Bush?
So far, Obama looks like a mouth piece for liberal groupies. Not only does he lack experience, but he also appears to lack the guts it takes to solve problems which will alienate him from his groupies.
Meet the NEW boss!
Same as the OLD boss.
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8uvlFL1xJlpcGiBAlk5w_P3xhCg
Diogenes: Yup, Obama is a sucker. The missile defense shield is all about politics and is technologically infeasible. The fact that Iran can get a missile in a few years also is of no value as it has no strategic value. This is just white-collar welfare for defense engineers and and an excuse for Obama to visit Poland on a plush AirForce One. So, which drinks will they be serving on AirForce One? At least Bush, being a former alcoholic, did not consume toxins using public funds. I suppose Obama drinks alcohol. I wonder which drinks he prefers: I'll have that shaken, not stirred; as he blows lifetimes worth of ordinary citizen's money for the sake of the con game of a defense shield.
The negativism here is off the charts! Some people bask in it, roll in it, and wrap up in it. They aren't happy any other way. My god, this guy just took office, but maybe you could lend him your magic wands and crystal balls, so he could also be an intelligent as the naysayers here.
Obama seems to be a great communicator as well, and, hopefully, will be able to bring this country back to where it should be, both here and abroad. The majority of the country has high hopes for this, as well they should.
Talking honestly about facts is not negative, it is positive.
Trying to hide facts and not talking about facts and reality is a very negative stance. You think something is wrong, so you try to hide it.
Lets be more positive!
NEGATIVISM, has become more american than anything else since this bastard took office. He conspired with his and his father's buddies by name Al Qaidah, and destroyed the charater of average American. It will take 2 / 3 genarations to change back to Americanism, that the fore fathers of this country brought and established. ONE EVIL MAN CAN RUIN MANY MANY YEARS OF GOOD.
OBAMA AND OSAMA WILL NEED EACH OTHER TO CONTINUE BUSH LEGACY.
'ONE EVIL MAN CAN RUIN MANY MANY YEARS OF GOOD.'
Oh, good lord, another idiot makes a post.
The U.S. public is responsible for their own stupidity.
Right before the U.S. started mass killing muslims in Iraq with jesus-bombs all you had to do was turn on the T.V. and listen to U.N. weapons inspectors begging to help out trying to find any WMDs that the U.S. thought might be in Iraq and stating as a fact that there were no WMDs.
The truth was public, broadcasted all over the world, and yet the majority of the American public (U.S. citizens) bought into the WMD cover story because they (about 75% of the U.S.) are crazed war mongers that want to kill anything that they don't like.
Look around your neighborhood. About 75% of them are what you call evil, and about 50% elected Bush. Take some damn responsibility for your actions man!
RE:''Obama seems to be a great communicator as well, and, hopefully, will be able to bring this country back to where it should be, both here and abroad. The majority of the country has high hopes for this, as well they should.''
Define, 'here'. This is very much an international board. Further, there are major differences in the estimates of 'where the United States should be'. It all depends upon one's priorities and perspective view of the facts. Irrational expectations are a good deal more dangerous than criticisms.
what country Lance is from?
@Diogenis - I was obviously referring to the U.S. in my post, and I feel like the U.S., hopefully, will return to good economics, better foreign policy, and better standing throughout the world than it has been privy to in the last 8 years. And, unfortunately, I didn't get the memo that states a poster had to answer or explain to you!
'will return to good economics, better foreign policy, and better standing '
- Economics: returning to slavery and exploitation of the American Indian and other ethnic groups.
- Foreign Policy: The height of U.S. foreign power was during WWII
- Better Understanding: The U.S. is number one and everyone else is second.
No, I do not think so. Britain is probably a good example of where the U.S. is headed. After Britain exploited the world they diminished into a shadow of its former self. Still a nice place to go, but definitely did not return to its glory of the past.
I would simply settle for 'something nice', a nice place to visit and live. Like Canada.
It appears to me that China will assume the world-leadership in a few decades.
Sorry, but the U.S. is most likely a has-been superpower. Get use to it otherwise you might want to start mass killing people to get back on top.
That's about all I can say!
Due to the US Electoral College voting procedure NOT A SINGLE VOTE WAS CAST BY ANY OF THE 240 MILLION VOTERS FOR EITHER McCAIN OR OH-BAH-MAH !
NOBODY votes for the Presidential candidates except the ELECTORS.
These are the people YOU vote for at all the polling stations in the entire US. It is NOT a Presidential election, it is a 'General Election' just like the Brits have. Where you vote for a PARTY candidate and the winning PARTY candidate gives his vote to the PARTY Presidential nominee.
There are 538 electors or PARTY electoral candidates in the US voting system and the distribution of these electoral seats is shared out per State - but not equally. it is proportional to the size of the State.
So, YOU voted for JOE the REP or FRED the BLUE. NOT OH-BA-MA or McCain.
This is repeated 538 times on polling day.
If JOE wins, McCain gets his electoral seat by INHERITANCE. If FRED wins, OH-BA-MA gets it. And so on.
When a Presidential candidate INHERITS 270 electoral seats - HEY PRESTO - HE`S WON ! not because he has been voted President, but because he is the PARTY Presidential nominee and gets the PARTY electoral votes. When this inherited vote exceeds 269 he has won.
And the only votes OH-BA-MA got in the entire US are 270+ by his own PARTY electors. Only 538 votes are actually cast for the PARTY electoral candidates - THE ELECTORS who are then committed to give their vote to their PARTY Presidential nominee.
So what happened on the 4th Nov. was a huge country-wide swing from the Republicans to the Democrats - A PARTY VOTE ! Where the PARTY who got 270 electoral seats simply inherited the Presidency. Just like the Brits where the winning PARTY nominates the Prime Minister. Nobody actually votes for the president or Prime Minister - they are PARTY appointed.
It was not a Presidential election at all, it NEVER is, the Presidential nomination is simply a by-product, it was a PARTY vote against BUSH and his miserable Republicans.
BUSH gave OH-BA-MA the Presidency by sheer mismanagement and failure and gave the Democrats a big majority in the Senate and House of Representatives as a bonus. !! The Reps simply failed the nation and the people and got a colossal PAYBACK.
When did it come?
'When did it come?'
The answer is obvious, although no one can figure it out. Here I'll help you:
The feel-good wave came when Bush was fired. Ah, man that felt good!!
After that was over then Obama got hired.
Have no confidence in America or in its leadership.
That's rather sad. Thinking positive is just as easy as thinking negative.
'That's rather sad. Thinking positive is just as easy as thinking negative.'
... for most people thinking realistically is impossible.
A lot is riding on this young man's shoulders and it would appear that the majority feel he is definitely up to it. Being realistic is in the mind of the beholder - it can be interpreted however you chose. It isn't confined to a select few.
never commented on this article.
GEEEEEEEE where did the Songbird of Hanoi go ?
Maybe he did alot of us a favor, and hung himself !!
And so it is....................
McCain was a good man - just not good presidential material for a list of reasons. No one should wish him anything bad.
page: 1
lanceNov 8th, 2008 - 12:15:01
Yeah, yeah.
We all know: He's black and quite a chum.
So what. Bush was white and quite a chum (to the right people).
How about a realistic and workable financial policy based on *gasp* balanced book funding of social programs instead of free money and debt spending lunacy.
Sure it is great to feed the poor, but not at the expense of future generations.
I don't care about charisma. I don't care about groupies following the leader.
Show me the numbers.
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