8/14/2019 DID YOU KNOW?: Barack Obama is the First President-elect To

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DID YOU KNOW?: Barack Obama is the first president-elect to be born in Hawaii . THE METROPOLITAN NOVEMBER 6, 2008 METRO A7Barack Obama History

Dennis Hase and Waeshiea Sipes discuss why they voted for Sen. Barack Obama Nov. 4 at ManuelHigh School in Denver. (Photo by Dawn Maudra madurad@mscd.edu)

World heralds new leadershipBY ANDREW FLOHR-SPENCE

spenceand@mscd.edu

Americans were not the only

ones glued to the election news on

Nov. 4.

And Americans were not the only

ones rooting or Barack Obama.

From packed bars in Europe

to public spaces in Arica, South

America and Asia, groups o people

gathered to cheer or Obama, many

inspired by his promise o change in

U.S. oreign policy and the idea o the

rst black president.

According to a simulated world

election conducted by a British week-

ly business magazine, the Economist,

with more than 50,000 votes cast,

Obama would have received more

than 75 percent o the worlds vote.

And already statements rom nu-merous leaders to Obama have been

pouring in.

By choosing you, the American

people have chosen change, open-

ness and optimism, French Presi-

dent Nicolas Sarkozy said. At a time

when all o us must ace huge chal-

lenges together, your election raises

great hope in France, in Europe and

elsewhere in the world.

A similar sentiment was echoed

by European Commission Chie Jose

Manuel Barroso, who said it was time

or a renewed commitment between

Europe and the United States.

We need to change the cur rent

crisis into a new opportunity. We

need a new deal o a new world,

Borroso said.

In Arica, there was perhaps a

touch more delight in the Obama

victory.

This is a momentous day not

only in the history o the United

States o America, but also or us in

Kenya, said Kenyan President Mwai

Kibaki in a statement to Obama. Ki-

baki said because o Obamas roots in

Kenya, his victory was also a victory

or the east Arican nation. Your

victory is not only an inspiration tomillions o people all over the world,

but it has special resonance with us

here in Kenya.

Metro Arican-American studies

proessor Lucas Shamala, who moved

to Denver 12 years ago rom Kenya,

said in an interview beore the results

were in, that he had received calls in

the last couple days rom riends and

amily all over Arica asking him to

make sure Obama wins the election,

not to mention numerous calls rom

concerned students.

They eel that this is a very spe-

cial moment when they look at

him, they see someone who is inter-

national looking they see the act

that he has come rom humble roots

they see someone like Martin Lu-

ther King Jr., Shamala said. And itis not just him even who he is that

is important. It is what he represents

that is most important he repre-

sents hope, he represents prosperity,

he represents opportunity.

But at even at noon on Nov. 4

with the rst polling pointing to an

Obama victory, Shamala said many

he talked to were reluctant to be-

lieve it would really happen. That

night, ater the Obamas acceptance

speech, Shamala again talked to doz-

ens o people rom Denver to Arica,

many o whom cried on the phone.

My brother in Kenya was so happy,

he couldnt believe it, Shamala said.

Everybody in Kenya is dancing and

crying.

Shamala said that, especially or

Aricans, the election o Obama and

even that he had made it as ar as the

primaries had given them the eeling

they were somehow more included

in the global community. And even

the more skeptical have sotened.

One o my students called me

He believes in all these government

conspiracies against blacks and even

he said he was very moved, Sha-

mala said.

But expectations o the next U.S.president are high, and with a long

list o problems acing the world, any

new president would have his or her

work cut out or them.

Obama takes over at a time when

U.S. oreign relations are at perhaps

an all time low.

The wars in Aghanistan and

Iraq have drawn out longer than ex-

pected, straining partnerships with

even our closest allies.

For those who have become dis-

enchanted with America including

many Americans (Obama) oers

the hope o reigniting the love aair,

said London Mayor Boris Johnson, a

Cconservative. British Prime Minis-

ter Gordon Brown said the election

had made history.

And there are numerous other

conficts around the world at crisis

level, including Pakistan, Somalia,

the Congo and Zimbabwe. All this

when most major economies are su-

ering the consequences o a bank-

ing crisis, leaving less nancial back-

ing or involvement in other counties

business.

Shamala cautions that some o

the expectations o Obama are too

high.He is only one man, Sha-

mala said, adding in his acceptance

speech, Obama spoke to the need or

the people o America and also the

people o the world to work togeth-

er to solve our common problems.

Obama has opened the door now,

we all need to pick up the mantle and

do something. We all need to take

part.

Continued from A6

She said regardless o who wins,

she hopes the American people will

rally behind the troops, even in the

smallest o ways, such as putting

together care packages or sending

board games or decks o cards.

Our soldiers in Aghanistan

have nothing, she said. Theyre

alone on a hill.

Roberts also said McCains and

Palins experience helped secure her

vote. Shes been tough in Alaska,

Roberts said.

Geography is a culprit in this tale

o two precints. Everyone questionedat Manuel voted or Obama while

everyone questioned at Word o Li e

voted or McCain.

Chris Kingery, 38, and a regis-

tered Democrat, laughed as i it was

insane or anyone to ask why he vot-

ed or Obama.

Its time, he said outside o the

high school. Im tired o the Repub-

lican regime. He said Obama would

bring a young and resh perspective.

And Kingery, a white man, said he

liked the act Obama was black. He

said this would help shit the para-

digm in Washington.

When asked i he was worried

that Obama was too young and inex-

perienced, Kingery said no candidate

except an incumbent is qualied.

This is a job that you learn as you

go, he said.

But Micah Cameron, 24, voted

or McCain because he believes, rom

living in Chicago, Obama is only

theory and doesnt have enough

experience to accomplish anything

on his agenda.

Hes done nothing in Chicago,

he said. There have been more mur-

ders on the streets there than deaths

in Iraq in the last six months.

Cameron thinks that i Obama is

elected president, anything he would

accomplish would be too drastic.

He said companies couldnt aord a

government mandate and enorce-

ment o equal pay or equal work orwomen.

Kaewyn Picard said she voted

or Obama because o his themes o

hope and change. She believes there

are innite possibilities in the uni-

verse, and she thinks Obama can

capitalize on them.

Obama has two children, she

said. And hes running to make

their uture better. He wants change

or his daughters.

Picard said Obamas intellect

and outsider status as someone not

so ingrained in the system, would

benet the country.

Wouldnt it be nice to have an

intelligent president? she asked rhe-

torically.

Despite the issues, some voted or

the party instead o the person.

Beatrice Bonner, 87, is helped

out o a 90s Chevrolet sedan. These

are sti legs, she tells her younger

riend, Theresa Wildy. Wildy voted by

mail. Bonner wanted to, but she said

her mail-in ballot never came.

Both are registered Democrats.

Wildy was enthusiastic about her

vote or Obama while Bonner smiled

and, not naming a candidate, said I

have to keep the democratic spirit.

It was Mari Browns rst time

voting. The 33-year-old Peru native

was nationalized last year. She said

she was registered as a Republican

and voted or McCain. She said shell

vote or her partys candidate unless

hes stupid, and McCains not stu-

pid.

VOTE:GEOGRAPHY SPLITS EXIT POLL RESULTS

Obama has two

children. And hes

running to make

their future better. He

wants change for hisdaughters.

KAEWYN PICARD, an

Obama supporter

Lucas Shamala