Obama delivers his victory speech
Photo: Reuters
King of the universe
Billions of people worldwide pin their hopes on Obama, but can he deliver?
Had the whole world been able to vote in the American elections, it would make the same choice made by Americans: Obama. Indeed, he has enjoyed record-breaking global support. Obama is Mr. Universe.
In the past 60 years, the US elections have not featured a presidential candidate whom six billion people hoped would win. From Cuba to Korea, and from China to Sicily; Globalization at its best.
The wave of excitement that swept through the streets of the world in the wake of Obama’s victory reflects deep desire by current-day humanity for a social leader that would not only lead the world’s greatest power, but rather, the entire world. The stock markets may have not been waiting for Obama, but the world has certainly been waiting.
The unity of the human race is greater today than ever before. Democracy, in all its various and imperfect forms, is more prevalent today than ever before. At a time when people define their problems in terms of dreams, rather than wars, Barack Obama is perceived as the right person at the right place. He cuts across boundaries, religions, and races.
And yet, the difficult part is still ahead of him. Barack Obama has not managed anything so far with the exception of his own election campaign, and that’s little. He is an American-style social democrat who is getting to lead America at a time where it is a strong nation, but also a confused and expectant one.
The charisma that paved his way to the White House will not help him much once he gets there. Now everything will depend on the advisors he chooses, the ministers he appoints, and the wisdom of his actions.
So many people pin such great hopes on him that the fear of failure is already lying in wait for him. Even Obama the magician would not be able to make everyone satisfied. His desire for “togetherness” faces the risk of crumbling. Not all conflicts that have not been resolved by now have become resolvable as of today; not all the schisms that have emerged in the past can be bridged as of today. Reality is not made of clay; it’s made of iron.
In order to win elections, one needs to know how to make promises. In order to lead in the wake of elections, one needs to know how to deliver on those promises. The test of decisions is very different than the test of speeches.
Obama the candidate’s exciting elections slogan, “yes, we can!” will be turning into a personal and anxious question for Obama the president – “can he do it?”
Can Barack Obama do it? Billions of people believe he can, and that’s a great start already.
