Obama – The Audacity of Success

• Firsts – Obama is the first black man to rise to such heady heights. The fact that he is of mixed race didn’t feature much, he declared himself black and that was it. But interestingly he never played the black card. He consciously spoke, like Nelson Mandela, about  ‘One Nation.’ About people regardless of colour.
• People –  More people turned out to vote than in the past 50 years. Latest figure say it was at least 134 million Americans or 60% of the electorate.    
• Money & power – the cost of the campaigns is phenomenal, nearly $1 billion . What is incredible was that  Corporate America lost out to the ordinary folks who sent small sums of money to Obama’s campaign in massive numbers. It’s thought that he secured twice the amount that McCain did and it was the most expensive election in history.
• Online Campaigning – Barack Obama’s campaign used technology to get their message out there, and most importantly to fund raise by harnessing the latest technology, text, e-mail and websites including YouTube.  
• Light on the eye – Obama’s family couldn’t be more photogenic, two lovely girls and a gorgeous and well educated wife. While ex-beauty queen Sarah Palin held it together for the Republicans.
• Dogged determination –  Obama wouldn’t knuckle under and as time has gone by the underdog has flourished and the race has become a bit of a David and Goliath story. First against Hillary and then McCain.
• Issues – Obama represents change, new possibilities, McCain the steady experience and knowledge of how to work Capitol Hill. But Obama then just asked one of the most respected and experienced senators, Joe Biden to join him as VP and hey presto, experience dealt with.
•  A number of issues around of race and religion has hounded fresh faced Obama. He distanced himself from his  old pastor Rev Wright after he told his congregation  ‘God damn America’’, and there are still  questions about his Kenyan aunt’s illegal overstay in USA.    

I guess it will be interesting to see what happens as the new President takes up office and has to deliver on his promises. During his campaigning the credit crunch hit, and with little experience will he live up to the image he has created? Only time will tell whether he is  the new JFK.

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