In Obama, Many Overseas See Chance For New Direction And New Attitude

Washington Post:

For much of the world, Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the Democratic primaries was a moment to admire the United States at a time when the nation's image abroad has been seriously damaged.

From hundreds of supporters crowded around televisions in rural Kenya, Obama's ancestral homeland, to jubilant Britons writing "WE DID IT!" on the Brits for Barack discussion board on Facebook, people celebrated what they called an important racial and generational milestone for the United States.

"This is close to a miracle. I was certain that some things will not happen in my lifetime," said Sunila Patel, 62, a widow encountered on the streets of New Delhi. "A black president of the U.S. will mean that there will be more American tolerance for people around the world who are different."

The primary race generated unprecedented interest outside the United States, much of it a reflection of a desire for change from the policies of President Bush, who surveys show is deeply unpopular around the globe. At the same time, many people abroad seemed impressed -- sometimes even shocked -- by the wide-open nature of U.S. democracy, and the history-making race between a woman and a black man.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[awcbuddy8]

Hmmmm, yes, last time I checked, this is a presidental race for the United States, not the socialists of western Europe.

It is just jaw-dropping how the xenophobes of the world, especially Europe (which has a much, much worse track record regarding these issues) have somehow labeled the US "the great racist". When France has an Algierian running for president, when England has a muslim running for pm, and when Germany has a Turk running for chancellor, maybe then they could talk. Until then it is they who seriously need to catch up to the United States of America.

[awwo]

Uh...but they sure don't have a problem with women as leaders...: thatcher, merkel, halonen, mcaleese....

I would also like you to explain how these european "xenophobes" have a worse track record than a country that had to have a civil war to rid itself of slavery, and even then had decades of jim crow laws and lynchings in the south....

you are also missing the major point that European nations tend to have a far more homogeneous population mix; the US was "built" on the backs of immigrants

[awcbuddy8]

Okay, you do know that women in France were not allowed to vote until after WWII, correct? And is not a woman two deaths away from becoming the president of the United States? Good, I'm glad we got that out of the way.

All you would have to do to find how European racism has affected the world would be to open a history book with your eyes closed and put your finger on a random spot on the page. Here's an easy one: the Holocaust. Another easy one: Ireland. Another easy one: Yugoslavia.

That is exactly my point. With the crumbling of the Soviet Empire and the colonial states, many new immigrants are flowing into Europe. This is fairly new to them and they don't appreciate it.

[rzan]

I traveled in France 14 years ago. The French treated me and my traveling companions well. Paris was wonderful. But while we were there, a synagogue was bombed. Many in France are anti-semitic.

[LettuceB1]

That's why they look to the U.S. for leadership. So lets show them some!

Obama 08 & 12

[CanadiansforObama]

Let me guess ... you don't own a passport.

[dollars2donuts]

You're right. My experience as a woman of color in Europe, with Dutch relatives, is that they are more open with their racism and xenophobia than Americans. Their race relations are actually at least as bad as here, probably worse, and has grown worse over the last 2 decades, while we've improved. They have no standing to lecture on this.

[rooks]

Try living abroad some time.

[stamper]

I support Obama for many reasons,and look forward with pride to have him representing my country on the world stage. To have such an elegant, intelligent, compassionate leader will say alot to the world and start to repair the deservedly terrible reputation America has earned over the last 7+ years

[nonconformist2]

Obama made me so proud and I knew that the world shared in our pride as well. Now, we just have to get him elected and we are home free. Well, after he cleans up 8 years of Bush mismanagment and unnecessary war.

[levibatgirl]

Very humbling to know the world still supports and is rooting for us to turn things around after almost 8 years of nothing but shite.

[AliHajiSheik]

I thought this quote from Tokyo was very profound, and represents the kind of "hope" Obama's campaign has inspired here:

"The primaries showed that the U.S. is actually the nation we had believed it to be"

While Clinton supporters and Republicans have mocked these terms as meaningless and corny, I think it is profound and worth a million nuanced policy statements...Not that Obama doesn't have policies, or that the ones we here from McCain are coherent, cosistent or in any way good.

[ThinkLiberal]

Make that 8 years of nothing but Bushit.