What does the future hold for the USA ?

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As Sarah Palin fails to make it from Alaskan log cabin to the White House, it’s Barack Obama who is the new face on the Beltway


Dare we believe, many uttered worldwide, as did the millions of Americans that voted for Barack Obama. As the new President-Elect himself said on that now pivotal night in Grant Park, Chicago, it was the “young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled”, that had edged him into the White House. The win not only motivated the masses with the highest turnout for forty years at 62.8%, it encompassed a range of demographics.

Obama took 95% of the black vote and 43% of the white vote. He won over the majority of women voters, coming in at 56%, 66% of voters under 30 and an impressive 66% of the Hispanic vote. Obama defeated McCain by a considerable margin of 6.3%, achieving 52.5% of the popular vote.

Watching McCain’s gracious and ironically, best and most sincere election speech to date was highlighting. One cannot help think that at times he was badly advised and if only he would have stuck to his principles of honour and campaigned more from the heart that he showed in his speech that perhaps he would have been triumphant. The Republican Party became desperate as they felt an election win slipping away from them with weeks to go, and resorted to negative campaigning. It was the numerous personal attacks against Obama however, the same old neoconservative attacks of previous elections, that this time, the electorate saw through. Even Republican supporters have since expressed their dislike of such tactics, methods that the Obama camp did not need to rely on.

The focus on change with the captivating “Yes We Can”, which proved to be more than just a sound bite or part of wider campaign rhetoric, was enough to see Team Obama through. With a stolen presidential election in 2000, many were left angry and disillusioned with alleged corruption, the farcical Hanging-Chad debacle, and the re-election of incumbent Bush in 2004. People lost faith as logic lost out. It was therefore somewhat surprising and a relief when this result was declared without any delay. The pollsters had indeed predicted accurately, victory lay with the Democrats. Disbelief ensued as could we actually believe that a miscarriage of justice had not taken place to take away a desired and historic moment.

It is also extremely significant and embarrassing for the Republicans that the Democrats gained so many traditionally solid Republican states. It can no longer be claimed that Democrat voters lie predominantly on the coasts of America. Obama has re-drawn the electoral map and has been the first Democrat in over forty years to achieve the highest share of the vote.

Change is precisely what America is ready for. When the Kennedys endorsed Obama over Hillary, they saw in Obama similarities with another famous Kennedy. It was a risky move, such is the strength of the Clinton powerhouse, but it paid off. Undeniably there has been a noticeable change in America, and Obama has intelligently tapped into it.

Watching Obama’s victory speech was a humbling experience. You didn’t have to be in Chicago that night. It was as though the world was witnessing a kind of emancipation. It must surely have been a cathartic experience for all haunted by racial intolerance and abuse. It certainly was for the Reverend Jesse Jackson watching closely. Obama’s speech was historical, not merely for the significance of the circumstances, but for its eloquent and moving content. Whether witnessing people running onto the streets of San Francisco to celebrate, Jesse Jackson’s tears or hearing that your neighbour was emotional at the sight of Obama and the First-Lady-to-be stood alongside the Bushes at the White House, it will be illuminating to see what happens next in such a compelling era.

It is inevitable that there will be some disappointment. Once the hype and excitement begins to fade, when the hard work begins and those “setbacks and false starts” appear. But as Obama said that auspicious night, “I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face”. It is this sheer honesty that people respect. He understands everything the country has been through over the past eight years and the nation’s decline in moral stature in the world’s eye. However, his desire to restore faith in not only the presidency but in the world over is strong and is a priority. Despite some support, Bush led the U.S. down a unilateralist path with the Iraq War, but Obama will be looking at a more multilateralist future under his tenure.

Just like in 1992 when Bush Sr. lost his re-election bid, it currently comes down to one thing. It’s the economy (again) stupid. Exit polls correctly suggested it was the economy that voters were most concerned about, not race, which proves just how bad the problem is and it was economic factors that hurt McCain most.

Inauguration day will soon be upon us. Obama is busy appointing his new cabinet, such as former Clinton advisor Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. It will be interesting to see how an Obama administration tackles the Middle East. Emanuel’s father, a former militant Zionist, made a gaffe recently when telling an Israeli newspaper his son would influence Obama to be pro-Israel, forcing Emanuel to apologise to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Regarding Bush’s infamous “Axis-of-Evil” trio, in October North Korea were removed from the state terrorism list and so the focus now will be on either incentives or sanctions for Iran (and others) unless they abandon nuclear proliferation. Finally in Iraq, Obama has promised a “responsible and phased” removal of troops.

Last but not least, Hillary for Secretary of State? It is rumoured that the job is hers if she wants it. Though not necessarily a pathway to the Presidency for a potential run in 2012, (she always maintained she wouldn’t run in 2008) it could be a politically savvy move. As Secretary of State she would certainly be well received on the world stage but her time may have been and gone.

Whatever the next four, though highly likely eight years may hold for Obama, for America it will be the second stage of the post 9/11 world and only time will tell as the change talked about so much will transform into action, starting with Guantanamo.

Helen Tamburro
Postgraduate student of U.S. Foreign Policy, University of Nottingham.