The World Sees Obama's Victory As a New Beginning for America

[mcg]

Source: TIME

For world leaders tripping over themselves to salute their freshly-minted colleague Barack Obama, just as for news anchors across the globe struggling to put Obama's victory into context, only one word seemed to do the trick: "historic." Repetition of that portentous adjective could have dulled its impact. But the sheer scale of the world's interest — the blanket media coverage; the election-watching parties, some slickly organized, others spontaneous; the fascination that overrode time zones and deep-seated political apathy to keep people glued for hours to radios and televisions and computers and, yes, Twitter — all served as reminders that this really was history in the making.

Obama himself acknowledged the international impact of the poll in his acceptance speech at Chicago's Grant Park, referring to "all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces (and) those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world." He could safely assume that the overwhelming majority of his international audience would be cheering his victory. Respect and admiration for his country slumped during President Bush's years in office. Surveys conducted during the campaign showed that if non-Americans were allowed to vote in the U.S. election, Obama would score massive wins in all but a few countries. ...

Related - Photos - The World Celebrates Obama's Win

Click here for more world reaction to the U.S. election.



Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1856668,00.html

[bluesmail]

1. And the entire planet.

[Jansen]

2. What a coincidence..

so do I!

[NJPuggle]

3. Me too

:hi:

[ACTION BASTARD]

4. I didn't see the world sing, dance ory when Republicans get elected or

is it just me?

Bottom line, Republicans are despised, hated and shat on by the rest of humanity. Justly so.

[all.of.me]

5. I thought that, too. I have never seen a celebration like that after an election.

Global everything - warming, financial crisis, celebration. We are ALL in this TOGETHER.