President Barack Obama
He won then, convincingly. As a UK citizen I obviously had no say in the election itself, but I'm delighted Barack Obama won. While I don't believe an administration under a President McCain would have been anywhere near as damaging as the last two terms under Bush, I can't quite align myself with Republican policies. They represent the extreme of the selfish, me-first capitalism that I find so distasteful.
Barack is a fine speaker and is backed up by a fine speech-writing team. His victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday morning was as masterful as it was moving. I have watched it several times. I sincerely hope that he can deliver on that which he has promised so eloquently and which is so desperately needed.
A quick word on John McCain. I don't subscribe to his polices nor do I feel particularly comfortable with his choice of running mate, but his final speech of the campaign conceding defeat to Obama showed him to be a decent and honourable man. It is a real shame that his supporters could not show similar character that night.
Come Inauguration Day, the USA will have ushered in a new political era and the citizens of that country will be hopeful of better times ahead. Of course, there are many people around the world, myself included, who also celebrate this victory and look forward to a more digestible US foreign policy. But let us not forget that Obama is first and foremost the President of the USA and his decisions over the months and years will reflect the needs within his own borders. For non-US citizens, our hope must be that those needs, and the policy decisions that will be taken to address them, will be in harmony with the wider world and not as abrasive and destructive as those of the Bush years.
Congratulations Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
References:
Barack Obama's official site.
Office of the President-Elect
Barack Obama's victory speech (BBC)
John McCain's speech after his defeat (BBC)
Barack is a fine speaker and is backed up by a fine speech-writing team. His victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday morning was as masterful as it was moving. I have watched it several times. I sincerely hope that he can deliver on that which he has promised so eloquently and which is so desperately needed.
A quick word on John McCain. I don't subscribe to his polices nor do I feel particularly comfortable with his choice of running mate, but his final speech of the campaign conceding defeat to Obama showed him to be a decent and honourable man. It is a real shame that his supporters could not show similar character that night.
Come Inauguration Day, the USA will have ushered in a new political era and the citizens of that country will be hopeful of better times ahead. Of course, there are many people around the world, myself included, who also celebrate this victory and look forward to a more digestible US foreign policy. But let us not forget that Obama is first and foremost the President of the USA and his decisions over the months and years will reflect the needs within his own borders. For non-US citizens, our hope must be that those needs, and the policy decisions that will be taken to address them, will be in harmony with the wider world and not as abrasive and destructive as those of the Bush years.
Congratulations Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
References:
Barack Obama's official site.
Office of the President-Elect
Barack Obama's victory speech (BBC)
John McCain's speech after his defeat (BBC)
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