In 45 minutes from now, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America; the most powerful man on the face of the earth. I'm excited! Perhaps a little more than I expected - after all, as a British citizen, Mr Obama's policy making will not be made with me as a priority, and rightly so. So what is it about this man that has seen excitement sweep across countless countries from the USA to Kenya to China to Britain, stopping off pretty much everywhere else en route around the world? I suppose it is partly his unique status as the first African American President, partly his status as the first mixed race President, partly his undeniable skill as an orator, partly his track record in bringing people together to work for the common good, partly his calm, strong presence, partly his clarity of mind, partly his name, partly his Democratic allegiance, partly his love of basketball, partly his need for nicotine gum, partly his age, partly his looks, partly his...blah blah blah... Whatever the reason, it seems that almost everybody, expects him to change their own individual environment for the better. Yes, I'm a Brit and yes, I look forward with eager anticipation to his dealings with Europe on world events - remembering with glee that Europe was part of the Obama canvassing tour. How flattered and excited we all felt at that!
The trouble with such incredibly wide appeal is that with it comes a level of expectation that will be impossible to meet. You cannot please all the people all the time. That said, I don't think Mr Obama intends to please all the people all the time; he will decide on his course and steer it the best way he can, bringing with him the best people he can. That is not assumption - it was his method of operation since long before he stood as a Presidential candidate. Let me make a bold prediction here: there will be no pretzel choking in this administration. Nor, however, will there be an appetite for making political gain out of such fluff.
I am going to pray for Barack. He is set to shoulder a burden beyond our comprehension; in the face, let's not forget, of some dark prejudices and opposition rooted both in very recent US past and in areas of the world where conflict is still sought in preference to reconciliation. He will do so with grace, gravitas and good humour, I suspect. I hope, however, that all those of us who celebrate the dawn of his watch will remember that for him to succeed - and to meet even some of our expectations - we all have a responsibility to do the best WE can along with him.
Congratulations, Barack Obama. May God be with you.
For all the pretzel-choking and verbal stumbling, I think Mr Bush received an unbalanced and overly negative press during most of his presidency. It fell to the BBC, as he was on his way out, to point out the massive assistance he gave to the continent of Africa, both in financial and practical terms, especially in helping people with AIDS. This help was unprecedented - no previous administration including the Clintons had devoted so much to this neglected region of the world.
ReplyDeleteTurning to Mr Obama, he undeniably has the ability to inspire people, and seems to have a genuine desire to make life better for millions of people. But these qualities do not in themselves qualify him for great leader status. He has already shown a concerning level of desire to control the press, and has displayed what seems to be an over-sensitivity to criticism. These traits were never seen in Mr Bush. Time will tell for Mr Obama.