A month before his inauguration, Americans choose Barack Obama as the man they admire most in the world, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. It’s the first time a president-elect has topped the annual survey in more than a half-century.
This is a report by the USA Today newspaper and Gallup Poll survey which has put Barack Obama on the top list of the admired men In the United States. Now the question that can be asked is “ what is the significance of this poll and what does it mean? What kind of impact this rating can have on the future president of the US?
Clearly this rating can put too much burden on him. The current financial crisis in the US has been one of the worst of its kind in the past four decades in the US. A report released yesterday said that this year the US has seen one of the sharpest falls in Christmas consumption. With unemployment rates high, the Americans are experiencing one of the most difficult years in at least the last 25 years. The harsh financial situation plus the prolonged and unfinished projects in Afghanistan and Iraq have made the Americans frustrated and angry.
Considering all that, the Americans are looking for a savior , a messiah , somebody who can save them from the current mess.
This can be a double-edged sword for the president-elect Obama. On the one hand he can use this trust and get things done. Given the current situation and the fact that Democrats control both the houses of Congress , there would be less challenge for the president-elect. He would meet less confrontation and more cooperation in the congress. The Republicans would probably not impede his plans in the congress with filibusters. So generally speaking this rating gives him a honeymoon period which is one of real opportunity for him to try to get things done because he’ll have a lot of support and a lot of good will.”
On the other hand this can be dangerous for Obama. These high hopes can both be a source of opportunity for him and a potential source of disappointment. If Americans cannot see any tangible improvement in the economic situation quickly , President Obama would be under heavy criticism. They would see their hopes dashed and this can be a potential source of trouble for him.
To conclude , I can say that we have to wait and see what is going to happen in the coming months. If a quick fix can be found for the current economic situation, Barack Obama can pose himself as one of the most successful presidents in the US. On the other hand if the economic downturn continues and Americans do not see any improvement in their situation , Barack Obama can be in real trouble.
