You’re a symbol, Mr. President, but there is work ahead!
05 November 2008 à 17h00
| 1 commentaire
A few hours after Barack Obama got his ticket to the White House, the press is unanimous. This election is a symbol but the new president will have to tackle harsh problems.
“Obama: Racial barrier falls as voters embrace call for change” says the New York Times. “Obama sweeps to victory in History-making election” for the Washington Post. “Obama wins: That is the true genius of America – that America can change” cheers The Los Angeles Times. “Barack Obama, our next president” wrote in white capital letters on a black background The Chicago Tribune on its home page. On the left of this cheering message, a portrait of a smiling Barack Obama. In its editorial, just like in the vast majority of the American papers, The Chicago Tribune puts forward the view that “Obama’s victory is one of those events that reveal how far the nation has traveled.” The editor goes on: “2008 is reminiscent of 1980, when the American people took a leap of faith on Ronald Reagan in disenchantment at the failures of his predecessor.”
The Spanish paper “El Pais” goes further stating that the symbol of a Black president at the White House is strong: “Half a century ago, in the country of opportunities, black people had to give up their seat to white people in the bus in some states.”
“Obama’s victory is the expression of a new American dream”, says the French paper Le Monde. He “managed to make hope match black. The senator for Illinois overcame the original fractures of a nation which was born in slavery and segregation to hook it on to its founding ideal.” He is the first one to break free from a heavy and long chain which goes from the first working slaves who built the Capitol to the movement of Civil rights.”
But “The next president” –as the New York Times titled its editorial- will have to take up harsh challenges. The famous paper draws a list of problems that Barack Obama will have to tackle: “regulate the economy fairly, keep the air clean and the food safe, ensure that the sick have access to health care, and educate children to compete in a globalized world.”
Difficult to deal with Bush’s “terrible legacy” as the “nation is embroiled in two wars”. So he will have “to move quickly to impose control, coherence, transparency and fairness on the Bush administration’s jumbled bailout plan.”
And the promises made during the campaign will have to face the reality of the economy. “The financial crisis and the impact of the collapse of the banks will force the transition team to adjust the promises made during the campaign”, writes a columnist from the French paper Le Figaro. “The budget deficit will soon reach 500 billion dollars. The new president will not be able to do miracles.”
“Obama won by appealing to a deep yearning for national reconciliation and unity that spans partisan divides”, says The Chicago Tribune, before giving a strong warning: “The new president will be judged on results rather than intentions.”
So after the joy that the world witnessed in America last night, there is a lot of work to do. Hope is not action and promises are not solutions.
But still, if the planet woke up today after a delicious hangover and started thinking about the upcoming challenges, there is a victory that will never fade away -whatever happens next. This is the victory of a black man ruling a country where slavery was only abolished 150 years ago. The Cameroon daily Le Messager sums that up : “Africa cries victory.”
“Obama: Racial barrier falls as voters embrace call for change” says the New York Times. “Obama sweeps to victory in History-making election” for the Washington Post. “Obama wins: That is the true genius of America – that America can change” cheers The Los Angeles Times. “Barack Obama, our next president” wrote in white capital letters on a black background The Chicago Tribune on its home page. On the left of this cheering message, a portrait of a smiling Barack Obama. In its editorial, just like in the vast majority of the American papers, The Chicago Tribune puts forward the view that “Obama’s victory is one of those events that reveal how far the nation has traveled.” The editor goes on: “2008 is reminiscent of 1980, when the American people took a leap of faith on Ronald Reagan in disenchantment at the failures of his predecessor.”
The Spanish paper “El Pais” goes further stating that the symbol of a Black president at the White House is strong: “Half a century ago, in the country of opportunities, black people had to give up their seat to white people in the bus in some states.”
“Obama’s victory is the expression of a new American dream”, says the French paper Le Monde. He “managed to make hope match black. The senator for Illinois overcame the original fractures of a nation which was born in slavery and segregation to hook it on to its founding ideal.” He is the first one to break free from a heavy and long chain which goes from the first working slaves who built the Capitol to the movement of Civil rights.”
But “The next president” –as the New York Times titled its editorial- will have to take up harsh challenges. The famous paper draws a list of problems that Barack Obama will have to tackle: “regulate the economy fairly, keep the air clean and the food safe, ensure that the sick have access to health care, and educate children to compete in a globalized world.”
Difficult to deal with Bush’s “terrible legacy” as the “nation is embroiled in two wars”. So he will have “to move quickly to impose control, coherence, transparency and fairness on the Bush administration’s jumbled bailout plan.”
And the promises made during the campaign will have to face the reality of the economy. “The financial crisis and the impact of the collapse of the banks will force the transition team to adjust the promises made during the campaign”, writes a columnist from the French paper Le Figaro. “The budget deficit will soon reach 500 billion dollars. The new president will not be able to do miracles.”
“Obama won by appealing to a deep yearning for national reconciliation and unity that spans partisan divides”, says The Chicago Tribune, before giving a strong warning: “The new president will be judged on results rather than intentions.”
So after the joy that the world witnessed in America last night, there is a lot of work to do. Hope is not action and promises are not solutions.
But still, if the planet woke up today after a delicious hangover and started thinking about the upcoming challenges, there is a victory that will never fade away -whatever happens next. This is the victory of a black man ruling a country where slavery was only abolished 150 years ago. The Cameroon daily Le Messager sums that up : “Africa cries victory.”
I wish u the best of luck for the end of your studies!
Julia (the one whose computer broke and is still broken).
Julia le 05 November 2008 à 18h35 (# 1 )