To all participating government and politics students:
Thank you so much for spending much of your time reading various media and each other – often imparting your own ideas – to generate constructive political discourse related to the election. I do believe there is great value in tools like blogs to democratize learning, and your involvement only reinforced that belief. Beside completing this post, you will receive a written evaluation that I hope you complete to help me and other educators who make an attempt to create a similar forum.
For this final post, there will be no media to read/view, only your original thoughts. The campaign season was exhaustive and unpredictable even for political junkies like me, but the results were somewhat anticlimatic despite the historic nature of the election (the polls were remarkably accurate). With a decisive win, President-Elect Obama has a relatively clear mandate to govern with public support and a majority in Congress, yet, despite your political affiliations, there is no doubt that expectations are exceedingly high for Obama’s performance (i.e., I’ve seen articles beginning with..Franklin Delano Obama).
Discussion Questions:
Using common paradigms for other presidents:
What does Obama need to accomplish in his first 100 days? What does he need to accomplish in his first term?
Looking into the future, what will historians/political scientists write most prevalently about with regard to the 2008 presidential election?
**Note: Although I am not an historian (more of a social scientist), one of the most impressive qualities of weblogs is that they are historic/social artifacts. This blog will never disappear (unless I remove it, and I won’t), and you can always refer back to the ideas contributed to it, especially your own. Twenty years from now, perhaps students will read the comments of peers their own age to learn about a critical election in history rather than reading about it from textbooks.
Although it is pretty much impossible for any president (due to limitations on power) to singlehandedly affect the economy, he will need to show an incredible amount of initiative in tackling the problem. It is sad to say that he will be under more scrutiny than any other president due to his race and due to the United States being in such rough times right now. The immense responsibility of guiding this nation out of a dark time is not only left up to Senator Obama, but to the Democrats, who now hold immense majorities in the Congress. Being supportive of the Democrats, it is slightly scary to see so much responsibility left up to them, because as it always happens in politics, if something goes wrong, the blame will all go on them. Of course if the nation prospers under Obama, the Democrats may take all the credit, which may not all be theirs. I believe in the beginning of his presidency Obama will have to show responsibility and leadership beyond any other President in order to unite the Americans who doubt him and his ability to lead.
It’s almost like I can take look upon the news as having some shred of decency nowadays, considering the attack ads aren’t barraging my TV screen anymore. Going right into it, Barack Obama will have considerable pressure placed on him. I mean the pressure is already mounting, considering the waist deep amount of stuff that he’ll being entering the White House in. It’s hard to say what he SHOULD do first, because views are widely scattered as to what issue needs to take precedent over others and stuff like that, but Obama clearly needs prove himself in some way or another. This is what his first term will be, a proving ground of sorts. Is this the best time for a president to take office so he can be tested, in a sense? In theory, no. However, Barack Obama certainly has a way of swaying people into believing that he is ready. I would have voted for him (were I old enough) partially for this reason. His confidence is something that can truly be appreciated. We all are well aware of the fabrications that are undergone during presidential elections, with the candidates promises that they say they will carry out in the White House. But I feel that this race is different in the sense that the scope of people watching Obama is so much more vast. We not only have the American people but also the South American people and the people of Europe. Europeans are excited about Barack Obama, as I believe they should be, but this amounts to a huge level of tension for Obama. Should he fail to deliver on this aspect of what principles he’s set forth for himself, feelings towards the country from outside the nation could go back to where they war pre-Obama. If Obama is such an agent of change as he states, then maybe he could actually DELIVER and keep true to the principles and ideals that he’s associated with himself over the past two years while he is in his presidency.
It’s also no mystery that this will forever be “2008 – The Election of Change” or something to that extent. The first black president. Need I say more? Initially I believed this to not be that big of a deal, but considering where the black community (in general, and I don’t mean this in any negative way) has been in America (from the early 1900’s onward), this certainly does seem like a massive evolution. I do believe too much focus will be played upon his race and I can predict that he will be portrayed as almost an political hero. All predictions aside, I have strong hopes for Barack Obama. I remain on the more moderate democratic side as of now, in that I am still a bit unsure as to how Obama will play out his role as commander in chief. Only time will tell, but the question remains as to if this is the right time in the United States to be having a president that we are so unsure about. You can’t say that you are sure he’ll do a good job or something to that extent, because you can’t really compare anything Obama has done in his past to this. This isn’t to say that I distrust him or anything, it’s just that I believe his presidency will be either a hit or a miss when it comes to the amount of success that he will bring to our struggling nation. He’ll have a huge amount on his plate come inauguration time. Between international conflicts, a struggling economy and a bitter American public (especially “McCainians”) he will either live up to everyone’s dreams or be a typical Washington bureaucrat pushover.
In order for Obama to keep his approval rating afloat in the first 100 days, he will need to show, not tell, but show the American people that he is doing something effective to aid the economy, he is doing something effective to responsibly end our fiasco of a war in Iraq, he is improving health care and expanding coverage, he is staying true to his word about his tax policy, and he was generally telling the truth during his campaign. In order for Obama to be reelected after his first term, he will need to make sure the economy is not any worse than it is now, or have a damn good explanation why it got worse; he will need to improve healthcare in the ways that he promised; he will need to have finished or nearly finished the war in Iraq; and he will definitely need to stay true to his word about his tax policy. US History has shown that presidents under whom the economy significantly falters are seldom reelected. And let’s not forget about the words that undermined George Bush Sr.’s bid for reelection: “Read my lips, no new taxes!” Despite his promise, Bush increased taxes during his first term, then Clinton successfully made Bush look like a dirty hypocrite and deep-sixed his chances for reelection. Obama has essentially made the same promise as Bush Sr. to people making below $250,000, and if he wants to get that group’s vote in 2012, he would be wise to keep his promise.
Looking back on this election, the thing that I think will be most written about is how technically, strategically, and thematically magnificent Obama’s campaign was. He was so effective on so many levels: the timely and consistent message of “change,” the huge grass-roots movement, the incredibly huge fundraising, the effective manipulation of media to his benefit, etc. Although, I can just as easily see Obama himself being written about the most. He has such a dynamic and engaging persona, and is so effective as a speaker. He defies black stereotypes left and right, and is a fantastic role-model and a personification of American cultural progress. His savoir faire is impeccable. He is one of the few politicians who ever effectively transcended politics to become a rock-star, a celebrity, and he may be the only politician ever to do that and still come off as having authenticity and substance. It will also be written that the presidency of George W. Bush undermined John McCain from the outset, McCain shot his campaign in the foot by choosing Sarah Palin, and the organization and coherence of McCain’s campaign was weak compared to that of Obama’s campaign.
As both of the previous posts mentioned, Obama has quite the pressure on him. Because not everyone is so open to the idea of an African American president, this alone is a big change for the country. The fact that as a country, most can come together and see that it’s not about the color of your skin but your beliefs, characteristics and education, we’ve obviously made strides. People will look back on this as a turning point, if he does not fail. That is a big deal for people. Because if Obama fails as president in his situation he will have let everyone down and McCain supporters will shove it on Obama supporters’ faces. You can say this could happen with any presidnent but because of our situation, it’s another story.
The country is in a very bad place right now. Previously mentioned the economy is for example, a huge problem. I have the feeling that if Obama does not get us out of this struggle he will hear about it for quite some time. There are many different areas that Obama must tackle in his first term of office. Whether in the states with poverty or overseas with the war in Iraq, i don’t know what he’ll do exactly, but things must get done. He must impress the country from the start in order to gain their support for his term.
Every time I think about the election I think about a history book. What ARE people going to say about us and this presidential election? The race for electoral votes was not close but the fight was definitely well played by both parties. This race clearly showed that the Bradley Effect does not always occur which is sure to be mentioned in a book somewhere!
There was just so much to take in during this election though! All of the advertisements, money spent, everything. The vice presidential candidates even had a big impact on this election, especially Palin. All of the pieces added up to a successful election that will go down in history.
Obama needs to step up and fill in Bush’s shoes plus some. People do believe in him, he got elected for a reason, but now just like any other president, he must show the people why they made the right choice. Change is in the air.
When Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, he inherited all of the problems that had sprouted under the Bush administration: the economic meltdown, the energy and climate crisis, two global wars, a 14-year high in unemployment (and rising!), and many more problems which have made the American people doubtful and fearful of our futures. I think it’s difficult for any person to exactly pinpoint what Obama needs to address within the first 100 days of his presidency, but I think the biggest problem confronting our society is the declining economy. Obviously, Wall Street hasn’t been thriving the way it was under the Clinton administration, and many Fortune 500 companies are closing down. However, the worsening condition has been especially hard-hitting on the automobile industry, which provides more than 900,000 jobs to middle-class workers. Ford and GM are in dire situations and are laying off a majority of its workers; the unemployment rate is at 6.5%!! I believe Obama’s “green-collar” jobs, which he claims will provide Americans with 5 millions jobs, will not only cater to the laid off workers, but help bring the American economy back to its former properous and fluorishing state. The Republicans are labeling Obama and his agenda unrealistic and are continually pointing fingers at him for the economy’s condition, but the downfall of our economy took time to get in, and I think it will require time to get out of. The Republicans can’t stop whining. Personally, I think that they’re incredibly inflexible and that they need to learn how to have leeway in their plans, agendas and views so that they can reach across the aisle and have cooperation with the opposite party. It’s impossible to lead a country when the government itself can’t even get along.
Additionally, I think many Americans will be looking at Obama’s composure. His confidence and poise are things that Americans need right now and if they don’t see that in their president, then who’s going to be their leader? When he first comes to presidency, he needs to establish a confident and hopeful tone, since he does elude a strong sense of charisma already.
When historians look back at the 2008 presidential election, they will remember a historic period in time that changed the face of America forever. Up until now, it has been a mere thought that a black president would ever inhabit the White House, which was built in part by slave labor. I think black society has become inspired to receive a good education and and lead successful lives. It was traditionally thought that only white Americans could be part of the American Dream, but now black citizens have a model to look up to, and he has become the change we can believe in and see.
As everyone else has said, Obama is under a great deal of pressure. All throughout his campaign he has promised new leadership, and most importantly, change. With the state our country is in right now, it would be hard for anyone to solve any problem in the first 100 days. However, I think Obama’s first priority should be fixing the economy. During the election, that was the public’s biggest worry, and Obama said he would put the public’s needs and wants first, so if he plans on staying true to his word, he should focus on rebuilding the economy. Also, the economy is not going to be fixed overnight. It will take months and probably even years, so that will be a large portion of his first term. In addition, I think he should focus on alternative fuels and figuring out a way to stop spending so much money on the war.
As for how this election will be look at in the future, I think it is going to be extremely historic. Obviously this is the first time in history that an Africian American man has been elected President, and that a woman had a strong chance to be nominated for President. Also, I think it showed how progressive our country really is. It shows the world we have come an extremely long way from 50 years ago when Africian Americans would not have even been able to vote. But I think the legacy of this election will be impacted by how well Obama delievers on all of the promises he has made in the past year.
Since our nation is in so many large scale crises right now, Obama needs to act and be successful right away in order to win the trust of the people. In his first 100 days in office, he should begin with the issue that most people currently find the most pressing: the economy. He should combat this problem in every way that he can think of, not just with a single solution. Obama is known for saying that the President would have to deal with many issues at a time (he didn’t stop his campaign for the economic crisis like McCain did). So he should live up to what he said and work on other issues as well, like the Iraq War and the environment. Even if he cannot solve all of our problems, he should at least make significant headway on many of them during his first term in order to be called a great president.
I agree with the previous post in that I think the part of the 2008 presidential election that historians and political scientists will write about most is the race issue. Obama is our first African American president and that is huge. I do not think that gender will be a big part of writings on this election. Geraldine Ferraro was on a major party ticket as Vice Presidential nominee in the past, and I had never heard of her until this election. Because of this, I don’t think Palin will get much attention for her run in the future. And although Clinton did make it farther than any other woman in the primaries, since she did not win the nomination I don’t think she will be written about much either.
In his first 100 days, Obama first must devise the stimulus package that he has been talking about in the last week. Whether it is a tax break or some other action, it needs to have a tangible effect on the economy (more so than the stimulus checks our parents received in May) in terms of consumer confidence and spending. As for his first term, he must keep his promises to take troops out of Iraq and develop long-term economic recovery policy. I think it’s unlikely that a stimulus package would have a huge impact- something that might turn some opinions against Obama, because people have such unrealistically high expectations of him.
As for what historians/political scientists will say about this election, I think it will be the way in which Obama ran his campaign. That, to me, is just as historic as having a black candidate for president. The level of activism and enthusiasm, especially from young people, is unprecedented. The way his team used the internet/social networking sites to get voters involved is a huge part of that, and it probably will be a major part of presidential campaigns in the future. The “50-state” strategy will also have a huge effect on future elections. The electoral map, in states like Virginia, has been completely re-drawn.
Like ALL of the above posts, Obama’s first task at hand will be to do something about the economy. We are basically in a depression right now with the stock market always hitting lows and the unemployment rate is very high. Gas prices are very low at this point which is a good thing for most drivers, but that’s also a sign that the economy is not doing well. Everyday on the news I hear something about a company having to be bailed out or stores declaring bankruptcy. It’s just not cool. The situation is no good! As alg6191 mentioned, the economy will need time and lots of it for it to recover. It’s not just going to happen at the snap of our fingers, like we all wish it could. Obama will have to look at different ways to better our economy which I think should be his main focus even before he is inaguarated, getting plans ready immediately. Another main concern is definitely the war in Iraq which he will need to focus on also.
Again as ALL of the above posts state, this election will go down in history. Every election obvioulsy goes down in history but this will be the most remembered election for a while. A black president will stand before us, a woman vice president almost stood before us, and a woman president had a pretty good chance of standing before us. Our country has come far. To think of it, woman only started voting 88 years ago. 88 years is not a long time when you put the history of the United States in perspective beginning with George Washington in the late 1700’s. And for black males, they have been voting for 138 years, also not a very long time! 2 minorities have come out in this election and really have showed what they’ve got to give.
Not only were different types of people playing big roles in this election, a lot of people went out to vote! The voter activism in this race was great. Many young people went out to vote and that portion of voters has always been the lowest. It’s great to be living during such an amazing race. I’m proud of the country for not determining our President by race (the Bradley effect did not take place). I’m not saying that in McCain did win, it would have only been because of race, but Obama was in the lead all the way leading up to the election, so it would have been odd for him not to win (although it still could’ve happened).
Obama was elected because the people chose him. The beginning of his presidency will be rough because our country is in such a terrible state, but Obama will make it through!
As many others have said I think that Obama definitely needs to show not tell in his first one hundred days. The country has voted for Obama because we believe that he is the one who can take us out of all of the problems that we have been facing over the last eight years. I think that it is imperative that Obama tackles the economy issues, but in tackle the economy issues he has to make sure that he is constantly providing results. One of the most affective things that Obama could do would be figuring out a way to provide jobs. Too much of the country is out of work, and because of the economy people are definitely thinking twice about everything they spend money on. Putting more jobs out there would help to stimulate the economy, if only a little bit.
I also think that it’s important that Obama gets his plan of increasing taxes on those making 250,000 or more a year, going soon. The majority of his plans revolved around using the money, so the faster the taxes are in acted the faster he can see results.
Additionally, I think that it will be really important for Obama to deal with Guantanamo Bay within his first 100 days. I’ve heard that he has talked about dealing with it right away and giving all of the prisoners’ trials. This is so important mainly so we can earn back some respect from some foreign nations that we’ve lost. So many nations believe that it is so horrible that we have Guantanamo Bay and allow such horrible actions to occur there, that closing it will give America some more of the respect it needs. Now the flip side of this would be that we don’t want to show that we are going to be any weaker in dealing with threats to national security. Obama will have to make sure that we take matters of national security very importantly, and that we are going to deal with those threats harshly. But people will have rights when dealing with the threats, and they won’t be tortured.
Finally, this one is a bit more personal, I would like to see Obama deal with the issue of oil/ the environment. I don’t think that he should start drilling everywhere to get us off of foreign oil necessarily. I think that teams should be put together to work harder on coming up with alternative to oil, and ways for them to work in peoples’ current cars so we won’t have to go out and buy new cars to use alternative to oil. I think that a lot of people feel that it’s important to become oil independent, but we can satisfy this need by becoming free of oil altogether.
All in all I would say to keep the American people happy Obama, especially in the beginning of his term, will have to make sure that he constantly working on things and producing results.
Well we all know that historians are going to write about Obama being the first Biracial president, and how smoothly his campaign was, but hopefully thats not all they will write about. Obama has some tough issues to work out, which no man can work out on his own. Thats the problem with the press, if the governments going to hell they blame the president not the entire government. But hopefully Obama and his party will be able to recover the economy. If not then in the next presidential election, the republicans will be like, oh look the democrats couldnt fix anything, and we can, so they’ll be elected in office. I dont think it will matter if Obama give the country some tax breaks or not, in only matters that the economy isnt messed up, and if he is able to achieve that then it doesnt really matter how he got there. Also Historians will probably discuss the celebrity status of Obama and his family. The funniest thing about the election is some of the news reports afterword. I’ve heard about the same amount of info on Mrs.Obama’s dress choice on election night then who Obama is choosing to help him with his term. Its kind of sad, but i guess if first lady fashion really concerns the american people, than they should hear about it.
In his first one hundred days as president I believe that he should start by giving confidence to the nation, remember that now half the nation is split, and he needs to bandage the wounds so to speak. He needs to make this extremely partisan country into a place in which we can work together efficiently to achieve our goals. I figure that he should show intimidate action when he’s boosted morale up. He needs to take his baby steps before he can run especially in the murky mucky waters in which we’ve gotten ourselves into. He hasn’t’ been a president before, so I don’t think him hitting the ground running would have the best efficiency, then again I could be mistaken. I would like to see action taken as quick as possible.
As for his first term I personally would like to see the economy return to a norm. However I’m not entirely savvy with economics, but I do think when there is a will there is a way. Also I would like to see a chance in reliance on oil, and a new efficient, environmental friendly, cheap alternative. I think that in itself would change America immensely.
Naturally historians will speak of the fact that America has had it’s first African American president, but I also think they will speak of this as a possible marking in which America boasts equality and opportunity for all.
Wow, i can’t believe this election is really over. Now its time for President-Elect Barack Obama to get down to business. I agree with Neo17. While Obama did win the majority of the electoral votes, he still needs to win those states that gaves their votes to Senator McCain. However at this point in time, I think that Obama needs to take the next couple of months to sit down and really figure out how he’s going to change this country, as promised. I was full confidence that change is in our future. Had I had the chance to vote in this election, my vote would have gone to the President-Elect, not that he needed my help. Obama gives me a level of comfort that I could not find in John McCain, which is why i fully believe he will make a difference. Either way we look at it, both nominees would have had a lot of repairing to do and with McCain’s tendency to have the same ideals as current President Bush, he just wasn’t getting the job done in my opinion. Obama has a lot of work to do, but that infamous idea of change will surely occur within the next four years. This country is in a bad place right now, and Obama is the facelift we needed. He has tons of pressure on him right now with literally the whole country on his back. My predictions and hopes are that Barack Obama will not just go down in history as the first black president, but for the great things he will do for this country. Historians will note him firstly as the first black president but I am confident that they will also have something to say about the change he brought to America and how it will benefit future generations. We are in for a bumpy ride, but we just have to buckle up and have the confidence in Barack Obama to guide us through to a better America.
What does Obama need to accomplish in his first 100 days? What does he need to accomplish in his first term?
Looking into the future, what will historians/political scientists write most prevalently about with regard to the 2008 presidential election?
President-Elect Obama will definetly have an enormous amount of pressure on him, no doubt, but I think he will handle his first 100 days, as well as his first year, in office effectively. He absolutely needs to work on a more effective (both long-term and short-term) stimulus package or economic plan to get America back on its feet. The economy is on everyone’s mind, and people will be demanding that Obama live up to the change he has been promising. If he does not, people will immediately think lesser of him. As long as he at least attempts to fix the problem, I think most people will be content.
The second most important issue to most Americans right now is the Iraq War, which is also playing a role in the dwindling economy. Helping end the war will help our economy, in my opinion. He needs to remove troops like he has promised, and start working towards a peaceful end to the conflict.
I think historians will defintely talk about the fact that there were members of a minority group in both parties. The fact that an African American was elected as President will be what they write about most. I’m sure they will make connections as to how long it took since the Civil Rights Movement. It will no doubt be referred to as a giant step towards true equality in America.
Obama has got to do something major in his first 100 days. His country is in a HUGEEEE amount of debt, his soldiers are in a war that the majority of the people think we should withdrawl on, and the pressure is on the democrats to demonstrate the changed they had advertised from Obama since day one. Looking at that list, (and that’s just the short version), I’d say I’d hate to have all the pressure Obama has to keep his promise of change.
Obama has to at least finish up that stimulus package to relieve the financial crisis before he does anything else. However, he needs to provide a balance in the package that will appease democrats and republicans considering this decision will affect America as a whole competely: the package will either fail or succeed. I don’t know if Obama will be able to get anything else besides the stimulus package done in the first 100 days, but if he’s able to, he needs to address the conflict overseas. He needs to decide if he will complete the mission in the middle east by sending the needed 20,000 more troops, or will he start a graduated pull out plan seeing that the war has been too drawn out.
In Obama’s first term, in addition to the stimulus package and the troop situation, he needs to deal with the energy crisis. He has to find the correct solution to alternative energy, take a firm stance on it, and truly invest in the alternative and not just do a shoddy job with it. We need an alternative fuel now for the entire country. The technology’s there, we just need our government to make a TRUE commitment to it.
In the future, historians will look at the election itself as a turning point in history for minorities everywhere. This election shows that not only can a black man become president, but a woman candidate has a great amount of potential to be president. It’s outrageous and it’s something this country hasn’t seen in a long time. I hope however, like previously mentioned that Obama will make the change and promises reality and prove that the election of 2008 was an election close to FDR’s first win.
The actions that Barak Obama takes in his first 100 days of presidency will definitely have a huge affect on the support that he receives throughout his first term. He definitely needs to back up his campaign slogan of creating change for America. To do this, I agree that he will have to gain the support of all the people who voted for John McCain. In the first 100 days Obama will need to focus on problems affecting us today and put a rest to problems caused by the Bush Administration. He will need to tackle immediate threats such as the economy the trouble that it brings us with taxes and unemployment. Overall, I think that Obama will do a good job getting the country back onto its feet during his first 100 days.
As for his first term, I think that Obama’s main challenge will be making sure the changes he made during his first 100 days will stay successful. There is no doubt that he will have to address the war in Iraq, and I think that he will be able to handle more problems that arise in the next 4 years.
I believe that in the first 100 days of Obama’s term he must show to the American public that his campaign promises were not just things he said to make him look better. He deliver on some of his promises to gain respect from the American public. The second thing he must do is work on a more efficient Economic stimulus plan to dig this country out of an enormous hole it has dug itself into. I believe if he succesfully comes up with a plan of attack on the economy he will win over all the Mccain supporters, and will cruise the rest of the way until his term is up.
Later on down the road if the economy ends up ironing out the wrinkles in it, Obama must address the war in Iraq and come up with a plan that all Americans approve of instead of jumping into things with false information (NO NAMES)
I believe that later in history, historians will look at the election of 2008 as the election that broke the sterotype for the typical president. I also believe that historians will refer to this election as the election that allowed people of any gender/race/religion to have hope that one day they could become President of the United States of America.
Stepping into office during such rough times, Obama has to really prove himself worthy of president within the first 100 days. Americans want to see the “change” that he promised them, and they want to see it fast. We have been waiting for 8 years and we want our “change.”
It seems that our economy has been the number one issue during the past month or two. Ever since the second presidential debate, both McCain and Obama were showered by questions concerning the future of our economy. Obama’s first move would probably deal with the economy. Many Americans have been hit by our economic recession and I think it’s too late for Bush to do anything to fix it. What I hope for is that Obama will create incentives to hold more jobs in the U.S. thus increasing employment rates (which by now has risen from 6.1% to 6.5% according to the U.S. Labor Department). Also I feel as if Obama’s tax plan will go into effect very quickly. He has to create a more even tax plan that will cut loop holes that wont hit the middle class as hard as the previous 8 years have.
Following his solutions to the economic crisis, Obama will definitely make plans to pull out of Iraq and capture Bin Laden. He seems very confident in getting into a conflict with Pakistan. Also I think that after a month or two has passed, he will most likely meet with Ahmadinejad and discuss closer relations with the two countries, hopefully making Iran less hostile to the U.S.
Looking into the future, I feel that historians will be interested mainly in the fact that Obama is our first black president. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what my grandchildren or great grandchildren will be learning about in school. What Obama has done is a tremendous accomplishment. His presidency has been influential to many. Traditionally, only white protestant American’s were presidents, but Obama was the first man to break this “habit.” But Obama isn’t done yet. Just because he is the first black president doesn’t automatically make him a president worth studying… He must prove himself as the president of the U.S. Another noteworthy aspect of Obama’s presidency that will make history is his “socialistic” plans. I’m not saying that he is a socialist, but his tax plan is taking a step to fixing the large gap between the rich and the poor. And that alone is important during such difficult times. I trust Obama to lead this country to prosperity. I feel that he is educated enough to make the right decisions and is capable of bringing wealth to America.
Barack Obama’s reputation when he takes office on January 20 will be a relatively clean slate. There is still much that America has to learn about President-Elect Obama and a lot of it will be learned within the first 100 days of his term. He will take office with a myriad of issues shaking the nation including the faltering economy and 2 wars among many other things. The way that he deals with all of these things early on could define his lifelong reputation for the better or for the worse. He will either be viewed as a savior or a failure.
Unlike George Bush in 2000, Barack Obama will take office after having won the popular vote. He’s a man that 54% of America voted for despite only being in the national spotlight for roughly 4 years. His likable personality and eloquent speech’s were a driving factor behind his win for President. These aren’t necessarily skills that a person can use to run a country, so it’s important that he chooses a very intelligent and reliable cabinet so he will be surrounded by knowledgeable people who can make important decisions for him.
This also means that 46% of the population chose not to vote for him. If he starts his term with a divided nation, he’ll never stand a chance to run our country efficiently. Many of these people probably do not believe that he is capable to hold the highest office in the executive branch. Other people probably believe that he is too liberal. Obama needs to prove that he can appeal to conservatives and liberals alike by adding some Republicans to his cabinet.
American voters made it made it clear that the most important issue to them is the economy. Obama has already responded by saying that the first thing he will deal with is the economy. By saying this, he probably already has won more approval from the American people before ever taking office. As long as he continues to respond to the public opinion of American voters, I’m sure his presidency will be considered a successful one.
Looking into the future, I definitely believe this race will be remembered for it’s impact on racial equality in America. Just as Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have A Dream Speech” in 1963, I’m sure textbooks will take note of Obama’s victory speech in Chicago in front of 500,000 people. He has successfully shattered a racial misconception that a black person will never be elected president. He’s got momentum on his side and as long as he continues to make good decisions, he might just live up to his expectations. If that’s even possible.
I think that within the first 100 days of Obama taking office, he will have to address both the war on terror and the economy, with the economy coming first. I think that he should try to instill a “new deal” like Roosevelt did when he was elected to his first term. This Obama “New Deal” should not be anywhere near the magnitude that Roosevelt’s was but it would be a good start to try to get more people who are willing and able to work into the work force. I am interested in seeing how Obama’s tax plan will work out and if he can unite the country after a pretty brutal election.
A change that people have been waiting to see for the last few years is about to come and I think that the second thing that his presidency will be judged on is how he handles the war. It will look very bad if Iraq falls to terrorist groups because of a quick withdrawal.
Another thing that I think will occur is discussions between Iran and the US just as Mohammed said before in an attempt to better our relationship and keep the peace.
Historians and Political Scientists will refer to this election as one that is historic for the importance of civil rights and how the majority of the campaign ads were attack ads.
I think it is unrealistically ambitious and even naïve to believe Obama will be able to turn the economy around in his first 100 days. More so, a reasonable goal is to create a stable economy within the next ten years and it is Obama’s job to lead the country in the right direction. The economy is the umbrella issue for which many other issues fall under. For example, once the economy is more stable, health care can be taken care of. We just need to have a little patience. Our expectations for President-Elect Obama are exceedingly high and we need to understand that the problems our country currently face (the environment, global wars, and the economy, to name a few) have been festering for the past eight years and have recently risen to the surface to form a major crisis. People will inevitably have different opinions on which issue Obama should tackle first, yet we can all agree that Obama needs to stick to the promises he has made during his campaign. In his acceptance speech in Grant Park, he stated, “There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.” He is warning the people of how difficult this first term will be but I feel that his confidence and his vigor are what helped him to get elected in the first place.
Barack Obama’s ability to energize voters, especially young adults, was inspiring. The voter turnout for this election was unprecedented and America’s constant obsession with the race was like no other in history. Yes Obama’s victory is historical based on his race, but I think his approach to the campaign trail would have been historical no matter what color his skin is. He reached out to people and the people responded. His tactics for raising money were innovative, stemming from his website and other internet sources. About 90 percent of the contributions made to his campaign were from individual contributors and he raised nearly $603 million. This money allowed him to employ the “50 states” strategy in which presidential hopefuls are bound to use in the future.
As pretty much everyone before me has said, the main issue on Obama’s plate right now is the economy. Naturally he needs to formulate and initiate a plan to get our economy back on track, but I think he needs to do more than that. I think Obama needs to inspire confidence in the American people. If he can assuage some fears that the American public is having (which I think he can do) and make us believe that he is working to fix it, his job will be a little bit easier. It’s important for the public to feel confident in Obama’s capability and if he reassures us, I think that will bode well for him. Of course, the other big issue is the war in Iraq. That’s a situation that Obama will need to address, but I definitely feel that it’ll take a backseat to the economy in the beginning.
And, in my opinion, Obama is already working toward achieving something that I feel is very important. He is working towards permanently shutting down Guantanamo Bay and holding trials for all the prisoners currently being held there. The fact that he is already working towards this inspires a lot of confidence in him (at least for me).
As for what historians will say about this election, I think it’s pretty clear. We elected the first African-American President. Mass amounts of people voted in this election. It’s definitely one for the history books. I can’t wait to see what they’ll be writing about this election in fifty or some-odd years.
In his first days and term in office Obama desperately needs to create new jobs and lower the unemployment rates that are the highest in 14 years! He will also need to dig the U.S out of its economic hole (hopefully that means a plan that will actually have more than 20% of the money going towards the economy). Those are the two major things he NEEDS to address in the first 100 days in office.
Within his first term he needs to decrease money spent on the war, 12 billion per month is absurd and convince Europe join forces with the U.S. and bring an end to the wars in the Middle East. He also needs bring the troops home, however he needs to create jobs for them to come home which is something some people overlook. Yes they are coming home but can they provide for their families? Some companies cut the hours for some of their workers to allow other people (returning soldiers) to work as well but the minimum wage is hard to live on already now citizens are working shorter hours, making less money, and they can’t sufficiently provide for their family. If Obama has jobs waiting for them when they return then we will also avoid thousands of layoffs.
The environment and decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil walk hand in hand now. because we need to find efficient and inexpensive means of finding/ using new energy/fuels without hurting the environment. Obama has plans to build wind and solar plants and he has gone back and forth with the idea of off shore drilling; one needs to win the battle and he has to decide which will be more profitable for us and the world we live in.
Stepping into the white house Obama needs to get his thoughts together and decide what is the most important thing at this time. He has to mentally debate and put all his resources towards one obstacle at a time because there is no way he can accomplish all that he says in just a few years. Personally I feel he needs to create a new type of economy recovering program. This is the most important issue on hand and one of the most anticipated is without a doubt the economy and a recovery strategy. He needs to to deal with his ideas and have it be unrelated to the 700 billion dollar bailout.
Throughout his campaign he has to show our country that he was the correct choice for the job. That he earned all 54% of that popular vote. He needs to fully develop his taxing strategies of spreading the wealth and the tax breaks for most. He then needs to work on a plan for evacuating Iraq or at least heavily reducing. These are the changes that the American people are looking for. These are the changes that if done correctly will make him be remembered.
In retrospect to what history will say about this election is how Obama ran his campaign as other posts have said. What he did may have blazed a new trail in the campaign strategies. The use of modern technology and getting the youth involved the way he did is a land mark in presidential campaigning especially when we remember he and his staff raised $600 million, far more than other presidential hopefuls.
I believe that Obama in his first 100 days as president of the United States should focus on what I believe is the most important domestic issue: the economy. The economic crisis was a vital contributing factor to the election of Obama since Obama showed great composure and confidence regarding the crisis, while McCain seemed impulsive. This gave voters a sense that Obama had the qualities needed to be an effective commander in chief. Moreover, by the closing of the election, the economic crisis had literally become the most overwhelming domestic issue; the war in Iraq, affordable health care, the dependence on foreign oil – all important issues – have fallen off the radar in the face of the global economic meltdown that was and still is placing enormous stress on home prices, companies, and families. Obama needs to find ways to address the economic issue immediately and provide relief for families.
Another dominating policy of Obama that greatly contributed to his election is his policy on the Iraq War. I think Obama has to start removing some troops from Iraq or do some sort of action to show some progress in his troop-removal plan. I’m afraid that if Obama doesn’t start this soon or in his first 100 days, people are going to begin questioning his changing capabilities especially with the unreasonably high expectations people have of him. Obama needs to uphold his image as a beacon of change by initiating these two dominating domestic issues with some action; it doesn’t have to be a complete solution to the problem but at least something preliminary that can show some progress in those areas.
As for the 2008 presidential election, historians and political scientists are going to mostly remember the historic significance this election had on the United States. This election will forever show how we, as a nation have grown and evolved into a new sense of unity and equality. This election will most likely be recognized as the election of change or something of that sort. People would refer back to this time and say that it was the first time that an African-American man was elected president of the United States of America. Hopefully, historians would also refer back to this time to acknowledge the change that Obama brought to America in his administration. It’s not just the emphasis on his race, but also how he changed America for the better.
In addition, I believe that Obama had one of the greatest campaigns in history. Usually being the republicans who have a more organized campaign, Obama’s campaign seemed a lot more organized and of course successful. Obama’s campaign raised record dollars in funds. They also took the most advantage of technological resources – like social networking websites – to reach more voters, and overall, Obama’s campaign was stronger than that of McCain’s. It showed great leadership and one of the best campaigns in perhaps presidential history.
I also believe that the history books are going to address the significance of vice presidential nominees in the election. In previous elections, vice presidential debates were hardly paid attention to. But in this crucial election, the vice presidential nominees played a significant role in the election, especially Sarah Palin. More Americans were interested in the VP debate. And all in all, it was an election that attracted the attention of so many Americans, especially an unprecedented amount of young voters, and prompted much obsession. This election would definitely go down in history.
Let me start out by saying that no man on earth could recover our economy in a mere 100 day span. However, I believe that Obama must have and present the United States with a plan. Turning around the U.S. economy is a long and painful process that Obama must start by making baby steps. I, personally, will be satisfied if Obama presents America a plan in the first 100 days which will be put into action soon after.
Another plan Obama must create is our withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. This plan must be created presented, and put into action during Obamas first term.
When historians look back on the 2008 election they will obviously remember it as when the first African American president was elected. His victory speech will not be forgotten by historians or people of the United States. I believe they will also remember Obamas almost flawless campaign and the number of young voters supporting him. This election shows that there is hope for a racism free America.
I think that in his first 100 days Obama needs to being implementing the plans he has promised throughout his campaign. He needs to correct the mistaken policies of the past 8 years and restore this country to what it is truly capable of being. Everyone is watching and anticipating his next move, and the pressure is definitely on him, more so than in the past. He has shown throughout his campaign that he is capable of focusing on many issues at once and I just hope that he is able to carry that out through his presidency, which I have confidence that he will. He must immediately set up his rescue plan (both long and short term) to help relieve the burden of our failing economy on taxpayers and businesses. Looking back on this election, I think that historians will definitely recognize the milestone in having a black president and going from such stark conservatism to a strong liberal administration. In addition, the changing of the electoral map will definitely make an appearance in the history books, as well as acknowledgement of how well organized Obama’s campaign really was.
I personally think that Obama needs to do something about the economy first and then something about the war in Iraq. Obama kept stressing he was going to bring a change. He is right if nothing the war is not ended and unemployment and consumer spending is still out of control this is never going to end unless something is done. If he solves these two objectives I believe he will have the respect of the American people and get re elected. I think this election and time period in general will deffently be looked back upon as a moment in history. Never before was there an African American president a seemingly endless war and an economy spinning deeper and deeper in a recession.
It is painfully obvious that the first issue Obama needs to tackle is the economy. None of the other issues that are impacting America effect as many of its citizens on a daily basis. In his first 100 days, he must present and begin to execute a plan to handle the economy that encompasses all that he promised during his campaign, instills some kind of confidence in the American people, and most importantly, proves to be sufficient way to handle to situation.
As important as all the other issues are (Iraq war withdrawl, health care coverage issues, tax policy, etc), I believe they will all be temporarily overshadowed by the failing economy. However, I think the Iraq war is next in line and that during his first 100 days Obama must at least announce a plan for withdrawl.
Really, what isn’t going to be rememebered about this election? There’s that fact that it would’ve been historic no matter with candidate got elected, and know American has its first black president. The heightened voting percentage will be remembered. Also, Obama’s near-flawless campaign is sure to be the topic of discussion for a long time. And I definitely agree with uvbrazil, about how the uncharactistic emphasis on the vice-presidential candidates shall be remembered. Basically, this election was tailor made for history books.
Obama has his work cut out for him. He has promised a lot and now he has to deliver if he wants a positive review from historians.
The financial crisis is a huge hurdle. I don’t think he (or anybody else) can fix the problem. He can only alleviate or exacerbate it. If he expands social programs, such as healthcare, in a time when people need help, though, this will be positively looked at in history. Perhaps the United States will emerge from this financial mess stronger and securer than it was before, just as the US emerged from the Great Depression with Social Security, the SEC, FDIC, and other New Deal programs.
Obama needs to get the United States out of Iraq. He has been opposed to this unjust and costly war from the start, but now he has to deliver. This is not only a moral issue, it is completely unfeasible for the United States to waste as much money as it does in a country that posed no threat to our national security.
One of the issues that Obama has mentioned consistently is energy security. Going back to Ford (and perhaps earlier) presidents have warned of the dangers of our oil addiction, but the problem has only grown worse. Obama must deliver on his promise of investing in alternative energy sources and providing incentives to use environmentally-friendly energy. Stopping environmental degradation and climate change are part of the equation, but getting the United States off of Middle Eastern oil is another major part. Obama has said he thinks he can get rid of that addiction in 10 years. That’s very optimistic, but, then again, so is most of what he says.
To prove to the world that this is truly a new administration, Obama should also demonstrate a commitment to human rights and civil liberties. The first step would be closing Guantanamo Bay and trying the detainees. Another would be prohibiting the use of torture.
He has said he will change things and now he has to own up to his promise.
President Elect Obama faces unparallel challenges as he takes over from the current administration. Our economy is in shambles and it is getting worse on a daily basis. Our country is engaged in two wars, which is bleeding the financial resource we need to stabilize our economy. Our health care system is in shambles, this would also require a lot of financial resources to fix, and the list goes on- and- on. In his first 100 days in office, President Elect Obama should focus primarily on the current financial crisis
and must find a way to stabilize the economy. Stabilizing the economy will have a trickle down effect on many of the other problems that we are facing, which also need attention (i.e. job creation). Stabilizing the economy would create jobs by encouraging companies to reinvest in the nations infrastructure. It is important that the country exercise certain degree of patience, this will not be a quick fix, it took Bush administration 8 years to turn the economy into rubbles, it will take more than 100 days to get us out of the mess. President Obama must demonstrate that he is up to the task. In his first press conference since the election, President Elect Obama showed the country that he is up to the task by surrounding himself with knowledgeable team of individuals’ who understands how to fix the economic problem. At the height of the financial crisis, unlike his opponent, Obama showed that he understands the problem and the American people believe that he will do a better job on the economic than Senator McCain. This is one of the reasons he won the election and he should build on this premise. The American people will understand if he comes back and present the true picture to the people. If the President is able to turn the economy around, he should then focus on bringing our Troops out of Iraq. This will also help stabilize the economy by using the money saved to create jobs here at home. Tax cut should be the last item on his agenda. The American people understand that we cannot engage in 2 wars and cut taxes at the same time.
As almost everyone has stated, Obama’s first major task needs to be a step toward fixing our plummeting economy. Now, the economy covers a big umbrella of problems that need to be dealt with, but the major ones would include the oil problem (foreign oil vs. offshore drilling), and stabilizing the stock market before we put our foot any further into the door of depression. I personally am incredibly worried about the effect the economy will have on my prospective college choice, and I definatly want Obama’s first item of concern to focus on restoring the economy. Everyone is now worried about the economy, as it obviously effects everyone, and different people in different ways (some hit hard with housing market problems, others face job loss, college problems, etc.). I know Obama now has an enormous task on his plate, but I, and I’m sure the rest of America, hopes that he will rise to the challenge and that we will finally start to experience some positive change.
It seems obvious to me that future historians will look back at the presidential election of 2008 and see one major thing: change. We’ve had our first African American nominee, not to mention our first women vice presidential nominee. Combine that huge leap for our country with all the major crisis problems we are facing, and it makes for a momumental, and unforgettable election, which I’m sure future historians will agree with.
Unfortunately, president-elect Obama is going to have to make a great deal of changes and important decisions during his first term. The trick will be not acting with haste. He’s under a great deal of pressure. His supporters are hopeful that he will fulfill his promises to save our economy and end the war; however, as he mentioned in his acceptance speech, there are still many who’s respect he has to gain. To me, that will be what he needs to accomplish during his first 100 days. Our country will need to present a united front and have faith in the president before he can become successful. If Obama can prove himself in his first 100 days to those who are opposed to him, then he will be off to a great start.
For his first term, he needs to concentrate on the economy. That’s the one issue most of the country agrees needs to be fixed first and foremost. Once Obama can prove himself as being able to handle situations as hard as the economy, his opinion regarding issues like the wars will be more respected.
I personally am very hopeful for the next four years. I think our country came so far on November 4 and I think we will see many more wonderful things in the next 4 years.
There are a couple of things that I feel President-elect Obama must do in order to be respected by the country at large. First, he can’t open up talks with terrorist organizations. I remember hearing a long time ago, back in the primaries that Obama would be willing to open up talks with Hamas or Hezbollah or something. This is NOT okay. They are not a state, they do not represent a group of people. They are just nuts. Remember how the policy of appeasement is unpopular with the American people and the American Government? It’s because it was tried in the 40’s, and then Hitler took over all of Western Europe. Hitler was a crazy jerk (to say the least), and terrorist organizations are just like Hitler: they kill civilians, and are so selfassured that they do whatever they please. When it comes to “terrorist states,” I’m not so hard line. Bush has been very strict and has not budged on nations that are clearly our enemies, such as Iran, N. Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, etc. The one area I feel that Obama would be better at than McCain is dealing with foreign countries, because McCain is a bit hot-headed and less likely to work well with other nations. I just hope that other nations don’t view Obama as weak, because Gorbachev thought Kennedy was weak, and as a result we almost had WWIII because of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Second, Obama cannot socialize the US. Whether its universal healthcare, or just other socialist ideas that will hurt our country, like bad job security measures, its just a bad idea. I hope Obama doesn’t view his sturdy win as a calling to change from the American way to a more liberal way. The US is powerful for a reason, and that reason is dedication to capitalism. I just hope that he remembers this.
In spite of my true belief in John McCain, I understand that he lost, and will accept Obama as my President. (I just want to mention this DOES make me better than all those people who stopped saluting the flag when Bush became President.) As I have been jokingly saying for a week, I endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.
I think that it is great that Obama is starting early to tackle important issues such as finding alternative sources of energy and digging the country out of the recession it is in now. He understands that these things will take a long time so he’s starting to gather his task force now and get everything together before he is even sworn in to office. He plans to spend $150 billion on biofuels but that’s over the next ten years, making it a little more realistic.
He also is trying to establish himself as Bush’s opposite by potentially closing Guantanamo Bay. He is not taking any immediate action however on the closing, but he is starting off with a review of about 250 prisoners that are currently being held captive.
He knows that the current administration is not very popular and is desperately trying to win the hearts of many Americans by using their unhappieness with the Bush administration to getting on their good side.
I can honestly say i’m glad that the election is over. With Obamas victory he’s going to have alot of pressure on him. All eyes are looking at Obama as he enters the white house. People are looking for him to deliver on his constant promises of change. He also has alot on his plate regarding the economy and all of the other messes he has to clean up from Bush. Within his first 100 days in office obama needs to do something about the economy. I’m not sure how much he can actually do, but he should try to reassure the people some way. I think that the economic crisis is going to have a big impact on Obama’s policies and how he handles his early presidency. i think that all of his plans on healthcare and taxes cuts are going to put on the back burner until the economic crisis is sorted out. Many people are begining to get worried about the economy and people want to see Obama take action. Obama also has to gain the respect of many people during the early days of his presidency. Many people were strongly opposed to Obama, and he has to show these people that he knows what he is doing. Hopefully Obama can get the country out of this recession and go down in history as one of the better presidents.
I think that the most important thing that Obama needs to accomplish both short and long-term is the current economic crisis. In the first 100 days, I think he should aim to provide some short-term relief to those who are in dire need of it. Over the first year and beyond, I think he needs to come up with long-term solutions to the current economic crisis. I do not think that we are in an economic state that we will automatically cycle out of; I think it is one that requires a lot of action from the federal government (similar to the Great Depression)
I also think he has to make some headway on his plan to remove troops from Iraq. While he does not need to completely end the War in Iraq by the end of the first year, I think that he should start the process. This was one of the main points that separated him from John McCain, his policy on Iraq, and I think that if he stands behind it people will gain more confidence in him. He needs to prove that everything he said is not an empty promise but that he tends to follow through on everything said during the campaign.
I also think that he needs to gain the confidence of the American people and that our nation can not be divided. During McCain’s speech after he lost, you could hear the crowd booing and it was clear that there was still a lot of animosity towards Obama. He needs the support of the American people if we want to get through the hard times both at home and abroad. I think he has to ensure the nation that he can handle being the President and is the most qualified person for the job.
I think that when political scientists and historians write about this election in the future, the will talk about how historic it was. Not only was Obama’s win historic because he is the first African-American to ever be elected President, but Sarah Palin was almost elected Vice President, and Hillary Clinton almost made it to the general election. I think this is a historic election not only because of Obama’s race, but what he represents as well. He stands for change, and is a young and different face than what we are used to seeing in the White House. I think historians will take note of this as well.
In his first 100 days, Obama will have a lot to accomplish and will have to meet the high standards that have been set for him. Obama has been compared to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose first 100 days in office were the most productive in the history of American politics. I think that in the first 100 days, Obama will have to put detailed plans of economic reform into action as soon as possible. Many expect Obama to do the same as Roosevelt; as Roosevelt was successful in giving relief to the unemployed, reforming business practices, and recovering the economy. Obama has a lot of hard work ahead of him. He will have to begin to grant some of the promises that were set forth during the campaign in order to further gain the trust of the people. In the first 100 days he will have to construct and begin to implement his plans and over the his first term, these plans will have to come to fruition and produce some or hopefully all of the expected results.
With regard to the 2008 presidential election, looking into the future, historians/political scientists write most prevalently about the racial and gender barriers that were broken, the tough economic situation that prevailed during this time, and a reflection of the Bush administration, its faults and how the next president will have to turn the country around.
Although obama has made it clear that I will take time to improve america, calling it a “long road” in his victory speech, I think Obama has to show people that he is confident in leading the country, despite his lack of experience, in order to give American’s confidence. He also has to get a handle on the economy in the first 100 days of his term. This personal issue, and national issue, are of the biggest concern for the american public. He should try to prove himself ready to lead the country in these issues.
In the long term, I think he needs to gain the confidence of the country to have faith in politicians. He has already done a good job in this by having a grassroots campaign, allowing the everyday american to have an opportunity to get involved in politics, through contributing money, as well as new digitized forms of political participation. If he can continue to gain the confidence of the country, it will make for a much more trustworthy unified government that will bring both politicians and people together.
I think that History will clearly see Obama’s presidency as I meaningful moment for african americans. It is interesting to see how the press is already reacting to his election in this way. Although all media coverage before the election was on Obama, his speeches, character, and political record, as soon as the election was over, the Headlines brought the attention to the fact that the “First African American President” was elected. All though we cannot predict what will happen his term, I think that his breaking of the presidential racial barrier will be one of his biggest legacies, independent of his policies.